If I told you that eggs can make a valuable contribution to a healthy diet, how would you feel?  My guess is you’d feel pretty good.  Most people really like eggs.  Let’s start with the good news.  Eggs contain a whole lot of nutrition in a small package.  They’re an excellent source of high quality protein and a solid source of 14 essential nutrients.  They’re rich in lutein and zeaxanthin – potent antioxidants that can reduce the risk of macular degeneration (the leading cause of adult blindness) and cataracts.  They’re the single most concentrated source of choline – a nutrient that as much as 90% of people don’t get enough of.  Choline is especially important for good brain cell communication and may help prevent memory loss as we age.  Eggs are also low in saturated fat and calories (75 calories per large egg).  They’re affordable and fit easily into a busy lifestyle.  What about the cholesterol?  For most people cholesterol in food has little impact on blood cholesterol levels.  About 15% to 30% of people, however, are considered “hyper-responders” (cholesterol in food does increase their blood cholesterol) and they should probably limit their egg intake to about three per week.  If you’re overweight, sedentary and suffer from diabetes you’re more likely to fall into this category.  For most people, eating as much as one egg daily can be part of a healthy eating plan.

Lessons Learned:

• Eggs are a nutrient-dense food, an excellent source of protein and a rich source of health-protective nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin and choline.
• Most people can enjoy as much as one egg daily.  The cholesterol they contain has little impact on blood cholesterol levels.  If you’re overweight, sedentary and suffer from diabetes, however, you should limit egg intake to about three per week as you may be more sensitive to the cholesterol found in food.