Top 10 Health Benefits of Eating Eggs
Eggs are among the few foods that I would
classify as "superfoods."
They are loaded with nutrients, some of which are rare in the
modern diet.
Here are 10 health benefits of eggs that have been confirmed in
human studies.
Eggs are among the most nutritious
foods on the planet.
A whole egg contains all the nutrients required to turn a single
cell into a baby chicken.
A single large boiled egg contains (1):
·
Vitamin
A: 6% of the RDA
·
Folate: 5% of the RDA
·
Vitamin
B5: 7% of the RDA
·
Vitamin
B12: 9% of the RDA
·
Vitamin
B2: 15% of the RDA
·
Phosphorus: 9% of the RDA
·
Selenium: 22% of the RDA
·
Eggs also contain
decent amounts of Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium and Zinc
This is coming with 77 calories, 6 grams of protein and 5 grams
of healthy fats.
Eggs also contain various other trace nutrients that are
important for health.
Really... eggs are pretty much the perfect food,
they contain a little bit of almost every nutrient we need.
If you can get your hands on pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs,
then these are even better.
They have more Omega-3s and are much higher in Vitamin A and E (2, 3).
BOTTOM LINE:Whole eggs are among the most nutritious foods
on the planet, containing a little bit of almost every nutrient we need.
Omega-3 enriched and/or pastured eggs are even healthier.
It is true that eggs are high in cholesterol.
In fact, a single egg contains 212 mg, which is over half of the
recommended daily intake of 300 mg.
However... it's important to keep in mind that cholesterol in
the diet doesn't necessarily raise cholesterol in the blood (4, 5).
The liver actually produces large amounts of cholesterol every
single day. When we eat more eggs, the liver just produces less cholesterol
instead, so it evens out (6, 7).
The response to egg consumption varies between individual (8):
·
In 70% of people, eggs
don't raise cholesterol at all
·
In the other 30%
(termed "hyper responders"), eggs can mildly raise Total and LDL
cholesterol
However, as I will outline later in the article, the situation
is a bit more complicated than that and these changes are actually beneficial.
(Exceptions... people with genetic disorders like familial
hypercholesterolemia or a gene type called ApoE4 may want to minimize or avoid
eggs.).
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs are high in cholesterol, but eating eggs
does not have adverse effects on cholesterol in the blood for the majority of
people.
HDL stands for High Density Lipoprotein. It is often known as
the "good" cholesterol (9).
People who have higher levels of HDL usually have a lower risk
of heart disease, stroke and various health problems (10, 11, 12, 13).
Eating eggs is a great way to increase HDL.
BOTTOM LINE:Egg consumption consistently leads to elevated
levels of HDL (the "good") cholesterol, which is linked to a reduced
risk of many diseases.
Choline is a nutrient that most people don't even know exists.
Yet, it is an incredibly important substance and is often
grouped with the B vitamins.
Choline is used to build cell membranes and has a role in
producing signalling molecules in the brain, along with various other functions
(17).
Dietary surveys have shown that about 90% of people in the U.S.
are getting less than the recommended amount of choline (18).
Whole eggs are an excellent source of choline. A single egg
contains more than 100 mg of this very important nutrient.
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs are among the best dietary sources of
choline, a nutrient that is incredibly important but most people aren’t getting
enough of.
LDL cholesterol is generally known as the "bad"
cholesterol.
It is well known that having high levels of LDL is linked to an
increased risk of heart disease (19, 20).
But what many people don't realize is that there are subtypes of LDL that have to do with the size of the
particles.
There are small, dense LDL particles and then
there are large LDL particles.
Many studies have shown that people who have predominantly
small, dense LDL particles have a higher risk of heart disease than people who
have mostly large LDL particles (21, 22, 23).
Even if eggs tend to mildly raise LDL cholesterol in some
people, studies show that the particles change from small, dense to large
LDL... which is a good thing (24, 25).
BOTTOM LINE:Egg consumption appears to change the pattern
of LDL particles from small, dense LDL (bad) to large LDL, which is linked to a
reduced heart disease risk.
One of the consequences of aging is that eyesight tends to get
worse.
There are several nutrients that help counteract some of the
degenerative processes that can affect our eyes.
Two of these are called Lutein and Zeaxanthin, powerful
antioxidants that tend to build up in the retina of the eye (26, 27).
Studies show that consuming adequate amounts of these nutrients
can significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration, two
very common eye disorders (28, 29, 30).
Egg yolks actually contain large amounts of both Lutein and
Zeaxanthin.
In one controlled trial, eating just 1.3 egg yolks per day for
4.5 weeks increased blood levels of Lutein by 28-50% and Zeaxanthin by 114-142%
(31).
Eggs are also high in Vitamin A, which deserves another mention
here. Vitamin A deficiency is the most common cause of blindness in the world (32).
BOTTOM LINE:The antioxidants Lutein and Zeaxanthin are
very important for eye health and can help prevent macular degeneration and
cataracts. Eggs are high in both of them.
Of course, it doesn't just matter what we eat... it also matters
what the foods that we eat, ate.
In this regard, not all eggs are created equal. Their nutrient
composition varies depending on how the hens were fed and raised.
Eggs from hens that are raised on pasture and/or fed Omega-3
enriched feeds tend to be much higher in Omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce blood levels of
triglycerides, a well known risk factor for heart disease (33, 34).
Studies show that consuming Omega-3 enriched eggs is a very
effective way to reduce triglycerides in the blood. In one of the studies, just
5 omega-3 enriched eggs per week for 3 weeks reduced triglycerides by 16-18% (35, 36).
BOTTOM LINE:Omega-3 enriched and pastured eggs contain
significant amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. Eating these types of eggs is an
effective way to reduce blood triglycerides.
Proteins are the main building blocks of the human body.
They're used to make all sorts of tissues and molecules that
serve both structural and functional purposes.
Getting enough protein in
the diet is very important and studies show that currently recommended amounts
may be too low.
Well... eggs are an excellent source of protein, with a single
large egg containing 6 grams.
Eggs contain all the essential amino acids in the right ratios,
so our bodies are well equipped to make full use of the protein in them.
Eating adequate protein can help with weight loss,
increase muscle mass, lower blood pressure and optimize bone health... to name
a few (37, 38, 39, 40).
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs are fairly high in quality animal protein
and contain all the essential amino acids that humans need.
For many decades, eggs have been unfairly demonized.
It has been claimed that because of the cholesterol in them,
they must be bad for the heart.
Many studies published in recent years have examined the
relationship between egg consumption and the risk of heart disease.
In one review of 17 studies with a total of 263,938
participants, no association was found between egg consumption and heart
disease or stroke (41).
However... some studies have found that people with diabetes who
eat eggs have an increased risk of heart disease (44).
Whether the eggs are actually causing the
increased risk isn't known, because these types of studies can only show
statistical association. They can not prove that eggs caused anything.
It is possible that diabetics who eat eggs are less health
conscious, on average.
On a low-carb diet,
which is by far the best diet for diabetics, eating eggs leads to improvements
in risk factors for heart disease (45, 46).
BOTTOM LINE:Many studies have looked at egg consumption
and the risk of heart disease and found no association. However, some studies
have found an increased risk in people with type 2 diabetes.
Eggs are incredibly fulfilling.
They are a high protein food... but protein is by far the most
fulfilling macronutrient (47).
Eggs score high on a scale called the Satiety Index,
which measures the ability of foods to induce feelings of fullness and reduce
subsequent calorie intake (48).
In one study of 30 overweight women, eating eggs instead of
bagels for breakfast increased feelings of fullness and made them automatically eat
fewer calories for the next 36 hours (49).
In another study, replacing a bagel breakfast with an egg
breakfast caused significant weight loss over a period of 8 weeks (50).
The studies clearly show that eating up to 3 whole
eggs per day is perfectly safe.
There is no evidence that going beyond that is harmful, it is
just "uncharted territory" as it hasn't been studied.
I personally eat about 3-6 whole eggs per day and my health has
never been better.
Really... eggs are pretty much nature's perfect food.
On top of everything else, they are also cheap, easy to prepare,
go with almost any food and taste awesome.
Why Eggs Are a Killer Weight Loss Food
Eggs are among the healthiest foods you
can eat.
They are rich in high-quality protein, healthy fats and many
essential vitamins and minerals.
Eggs also have a few unique properties that make them
egg-ceptionally weight loss friendly.
This article explains why whole eggs are a killer weight loss
food.
Eggs Are Low in Calories
The simplest way to lose weight is to reduce your daily calorie intake.
One large egg contains only about 78 calories, yet is very high
in nutrients. Egg yolks are especially nutritious (1).
An egg meal commonly consists of about 2–4 eggs. Three large
boiled eggs contain less than 240 calories.
By adding a generous serving of vegetables, you're able to have
a complete meal for only about 300 calories.
Just keep in mind that if you fry your eggs in oil or butter, you add about 50 calories for each
teaspoon used.
BOTTOM LINE:One large egg contains about 78 calories. A
meal consisting of 3 boiled eggs and vegetables contains only about 300
calories.
Eggs Are Very Filling
Eggs are incredibly nutrient-dense and filling, mainly
because of their high protein content (2).
High-protein foods have been known to
reduce appetite and increase fullness, compared to foods that contain less
protein (3, 4, 5, 6).
Studies have repeatedly shown that egg meals increase fullness
and reduce food intake during later meals, compared to other meals with the
same calorie content (7, 8, 9).
Eggs also rank high on a scale called the Satiety Index. This
scale evaluates how well foods help you feel full and reduce calorie intake
later on (10).
Additionally, eating a diet high in protein may reduce obsessive
thoughts about food by up to 60%. It may also cut the desire for late-night
snacking by half (11, 12).
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs rank high on the Satiety Index scale,
which means they may help you feel fuller for longer. High-protein foods, like
eggs, may also help you snack less between meals.
Eggs May Boost Your Metabolism
Eggs contain all the essential amino acids, and in the right
ratios.
This means your body can easily use the protein in eggs for
maintenance and metabolism.
Eating a high-protein diet has been shown to boost metabolism by
up to 80–100 calories a day, through a process called the thermic effect of
food (13, 14).
The thermic effect of food is the energy required by the body to
metabolize foods, and is higher for protein than for fat or carbs (13, 14, 15).
This means that high-protein foods, such as eggs, help you burn
more calories.
BOTTOM LINE:A high-protein diet may boost your metabolism
by up to 80–100 calories per day, since extra energy is needed to help
metabolize the protein in foods.
Eggs Are a Great Way to Start Your Day
Eating eggs for breakfast seems to be especially beneficial
for weight loss.
Many studies have compared the effects of eating eggs in the
morning versus eating other breakfasts with the same calorie content.
Several studies of overweight women showed that eating eggs
instead of bagels increased their feeling of fullness and caused them to
consume fewer calories over the next 36 hours.
A similar study in men came to the same conclusion, showing that
an egg breakfast significantly reduced calorie intake for the next 24 hours,
compared to a bagel breakfast. The egg eaters also felt more full (16).
Furthermore, the egg breakfast caused a more stable blood
glucose and insulin response, while also suppressing
ghrelin (the hunger hormone) (16).
Another study in 30 healthy and fit young men compared the
effects of three types of breakfasts on three separate occasions. These were
eggs on toast, cereal with milk and
toast, and croissant with orange juice.
The egg breakfast caused significantly greater satiety, less
hunger and a lower desire to eat than the other two breakfasts.
Furthermore, eating eggs for breakfast caused the men to automatically eat
about 270–470 calories less at lunch and dinner buffets, compared to eating the
other breakfasts (17).
This impressive reduction in calorie intake was unintentional
and effortless. The only thing they did was to eat eggs at breakfast.
BOTTOM LINE:Eating eggs for breakfast may increase your
feeling of fullness and make you automatically eat fewer calories, for up to 36
hours.
Eggs Are Cheap and Easy to Prepare
Incorporating eggs into your diet is very easy.
They are inexpensive, widely available and can be
prepared within minutes.
Eggs are delicious almost every way you make them, but are most
often boiled, scrambled, made into an omelet or baked.
A breakfast omelet made with a couple of eggs and some
vegetables makes for an excellent and quick weight loss friendly breakfast.
You can find plenty of egg recipes to try on this page.
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs are inexpensive, available almost
everywhere and can be prepared in a matter of minutes.
Take Home Message
Adding eggs to your diet may be one of the easiest things to do if you're trying to lose
weight.
They can make you feel more full and help you eat fewer calories
throughout the day.
Furthermore, eggs are a great source of many vitamins and
minerals that are commonly lacking in the diet.
Eating eggs, especially for breakfast, may just be what makes or
breaks your weight loss diet.
Are Whole Eggs and Egg Yolks Bad
For You, or Good?
On
one hand, they're considered an excellent and inexpensive source of protein and
various nutrients.
On
the other hand, many people believe that the yolks can increase heart disease
risk.
So
are eggs good or bad for your health? This article explores both sides of the
argument.
Why Are Eggs
Sometimes Considered Unhealthy?
Whole
eggs have two main components:
·
Egg white: The white part, which
is mostly protein.
·
Egg yolk: The yellow/orange
part, which contains all sorts of nutrients.
The
main reason eggs were considered to be unhealthy in the past, is that the yolks
are high in cholesterol.
Cholesterol
is a waxy substance found in food, and it's also made by your body. A few
decades ago, large studies linked high blood cholesterol to heart disease.
In
1961, the American Heart Association recommended limiting dietary cholesterol.
Many other international health organizations did the same.
Over
the next several decades, worldwide egg consumption decreased significantly.
Many people replaced eggs with cholesterol-free egg substitutes that were
promoted as a healthier option.
BOTTOM LINE:For several decades,
eggs were believed to increase heart disease risk because of their high
cholesterol content.
It's True That
Whole Eggs Are High in Cholesterol
Whole
eggs (with the yolks) are undeniably high in cholesterol. In fact, they're the
major source of cholesterol in most people's diets.
Two
large whole eggs (100 grams) contain about 422 mg of cholesterol (1).
By
contrast, 100 grams of 30% fat ground beef has only about 88 mg of cholesterol (2).
Up
until very recently, the recommended maximum daily intake of cholesterol was
300 mg per day. It was even lower for people with heart disease.
However,
based on the latest research, health organizations in many countries no longer
recommend restricting cholesterol intake.
For
the first time in decades, the US Dietary Guidelines released in January 2016 did not specify an upper daily limit for dietary
cholesterol.
Despite
this change, many people remain concerned about consuming eggs.
This
is because they've been conditioned to associate high dietary cholesterol
intake with high blood cholesterol and heart disease.
That
being said, just because a food is high in cholesterol, it doesn't necessarily
raise cholesterol levels in the
blood.
BOTTOM LINE:Two large whole eggs
contain 422 mg of cholesterol, which exceeds the maximum daily limit that was
in place for many decades. However, this restriction on dietary cholesterol has
now been removed.
How Eating Eggs Affects Blood Cholesterol
Although
it may seem logical that dietary cholesterol would raise blood cholesterol
levels, it usually doesn't work that way.
Your
liver actually produces cholesterol in large amounts, because cholesterol is a
necessary nutrient for your cells.
When
you eat larger amounts of high-cholesterol foods such as eggs, your liver
simply starts producing less cholesterol (3, 4).
Conversely,
when you get little cholesterol from food, your liver produces more.
Because
of this, blood cholesterol levels don't change significantly in most people
when they eat more cholesterol from foods (5).
Also,
let's keep in mind that cholesterol isn't a "bad" substance. It is
actually involved in various processes in the body, such as:
·
Production of vitamin D.
·
Production of steroid hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
·
Production of bile acids, which help digest fat.
Last
but not least, cholesterol is found in every
single cell membrane in your body. Without it, humans wouldn't
exist.
BOTTOM LINE:When you eat eggs or
other cholesterol-rich foods, your liver produces less cholesterol. As a
result, your blood cholesterol levels will likely stay about the same or
increase only slightly.
Do Eggs
Increase Heart Disease Risk?
Several
controlled studies have examined how eggs affect heart disease risk factors.
The findings are mostly positive or neutral.
Studies
show that eating 1–2 whole eggs per day doesn't seem to change cholesterol
levels or heart disease risk factors (6, 7, 8).
What's
more, consuming eggs as part of a low-carb diet improves
markers of heart disease in people with insulin resistance or
type 2 diabetes. This includes the size and shape of LDL particles (9, 10, 11).
One study
followed pre-diabetics who were on a carb-restricted diet. Those who consumed
whole eggs experienced better insulin sensitivity and greater improvements in
heart health markers than those who ate egg whites (10).
In
another study, pre-diabetic people on low-carb diets ate 3 eggs per day for 12
weeks. They had fewer inflammatory markers than those who consumed an egg
substitute on an otherwise identical diet (11).
Although
LDL ("bad") cholesterol tends to stay the same or increase only
slightly when you eat eggs, HDL ("good") cholesterol typically
increases (10, 12, 13).
In
addition, eating omega-3 enriched eggs may
help lower triglyceride levels (14, 15).
Research
also suggests that eating eggs on a regular basis may be safe for people who
already have heart disease.
One
study followed 32 people with heart disease. They experienced no negative
effects on heart health after consuming 2 whole eggs every day for 12 weeks (16).
To
top things off, a review of 17 observational studies with a total of 263,938
people found no association between egg consumption and heart disease or stroke
(17).
BOTTOM LINE:Studies have shown
that egg consumption generally has beneficial or neutral effects on heart
disease risk.
Do Eggs
Increase Diabetes Risk?
Controlled
studies show that eggs may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce heart disease
risk factors in people with prediabetes.
However,
there is conflicting research on egg consumption and the risk of type 2
diabetes.
A
review of two studies involving more than 50,000 adults found that those
consuming at least one egg daily were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
than people who ate less than one egg per week (18).
A
second study in women found an association between high dietary cholesterol
intake and increased diabetes risk, but not specifically for eggs (19).
The
large observational study mentioned above that found no link between heart
attacks and strokes did actually find a 54% increased risk of heart disease
when they only looked at people with diabetes (17).
Based
on these studies, eggs could be problematic for people who are diabetic or
pre-diabetic.
However,
it's important to keep in mind that these are observational studies based on
self-reported food intake.
They
only show an association between
egg consumption and an increased likelihood of developing diabetes. These types
of studies can not prove that the eggs caused anything.
In
addition, these studies don't tell us what else the people who developed
diabetes were eating, how much exercise they did or what other risk factors
they had.
In
fact, controlled studies have found that eating eggs along with a healthy diet may
benefit people with diabetes.
In
one study, people with diabetes who consumed a high-protein, high-cholesterol
diet containing 2 eggs per day experienced reductions in fasting blood sugar,
insulin and blood pressure, along with an increase in HDL cholesterol (20).
Other
studies link egg consumption with improvements in insulin sensitivity and
reduced inflammation in people with prediabetes and diabetes (10, 21).
BOTTOM LINE:Studies on eggs and
diabetes provide mixed results. Several observational studies show an increased
risk of type 2 diabetes, while controlled trials show an improvement in various
health markers.
Your Genes May Affect How You Respond to Egg Consumption
Although
eggs pose no risk to health in most people, it's been suggested that those with
certain genetic traits may be different.
However,
there isn't a lot of research on this.
The
ApoE4 Gene
People
who carry a gene known as ApoE4 have an increased risk of high cholesterol,
heart disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease (22, 23).
An
observational study of more than 1,000 men found no association between high
egg or cholesterol intake and heart disease risk in ApoE4 carriers (24).
A
controlled study followed people with normal cholesterol levels. A high egg
intake, or 750 mg of cholesterol per day, increased total and LDL cholesterol
levels in ApoE4 carriers more than twice as much as in people without the gene (25).
However,
these people were eating about 3.5 eggs every day for three weeks. It's
possible that eating 1 or 2 eggs may have caused less dramatic changes.
It's
also possible that the increased cholesterol levels in response to high egg
intake are temporary.
One
study found that when ApoE4 carriers with normal cholesterol experienced higher
blood cholesterol levels in response to a high-cholesterol diet, their bodies
began producing less cholesterol to compensate (26).
Familial
Hypercholesterolemia
A
genetic condition known as familial hypercholesterolemia is characterized by
very high blood cholesterol levels and an increased risk of heart disease (27).
According
to experts, reducing cholesterol levels is very important for people with this
condition. It often requires a combination of diet and medication.
People
with familial hypercholesterolemia may need to avoid eggs.
Dietary
Cholesterol Hyper-Responders
A
number of people are considered "hyper-responders" to dietary
cholesterol. This means that their blood cholesterol levels increase when they
eat more cholesterol.
Often
both HDL and LDL cholesterol levels increase in this group of people when they
consume eggs or other high-cholesterol foods (28, 29).
However,
some studies report that LDL and total cholesterol went up significantly in
hyper-responders who increased their egg intake, but HDL was stable (30, 31).
On
the other hand, a group of hyper-responders consuming 3 eggs per day for 30
days mainly had an increase in large LDL particles, which are not considered as
harmful as small LDL particles (32).
What's
more, hyper-responders may absorb more of the antioxidants located in the
yellow pigment of egg yolk. These can benefit eye and heart health (33).
BOTTOM LINE:People with certain
genetic traits may see a greater rise in their cholesterol levels after eating
eggs.
Eggs Are Loaded
with Nutrients
Eggs
also have a ton of nutrients and health benefits that need to be mentioned when
considering the health effects of eggs.
They
are a great source of high-quality
protein, as well as several important vitamins and minerals.
One
large whole egg contains (1):
·
Calories: 72.
·
Protein: 6 grams.
·
Vitamin A: 5% of the RDI.
·
Riboflavin: 14% of the RDI.
·
Vitamin B12: 11% of the RDI.
·
Folate: 6% of the RDI.
·
Iron: 5% of the RDI.
·
Selenium: 23% of the RDI.
Then
they contain many other nutrients in smaller amounts. In fact, eggs contain a
little bit of almost everything the human body needs.
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs are high in a
number of important vitamins and minerals, along with high-quality protein.
Eggs Have Many
Health Benefits
Studies
show that eating eggs can have various health benefits. These include:
·
Help keep you full: Several studies show
that eggs promote fullness and help control hunger so you eat less at your next
meal (34, 35, 36).
·
Promote weight loss: The high-quality
protein in eggs increases metabolic rate and can help you lose weight (37, 38, 39).
·
Protect brain health: Eggs are an
excellent source of choline, which is important for your brain (40, 41).
·
Reduce eye disease risk: The lutein and
zeaxanthin in eggs help protect against eye diseases like cataracts and macular
degeneration (13, 42, 43).
Decrease inflammation: Eggs
may reduce inflammation,
which is linked to various diseases Brown
vs White Eggs — Is There a Difference?
Some
people believe brown eggs are healthier or more natural, while others feel that
white eggs are cleaner or simply taste better.
But
are the differences between brown and white eggs more than shell-deep?
This
article explores whether one type of egg is truly healthier or tastier.
Eggs Come in
Many Colors
Chicken
eggs can come in different colors, and it's common to find both brown and white
eggs in the supermarket.
However,
many people don't know what causes eggs to have different colors.
The
answer is quite simple — egg color depends on the breed of the chicken. For
example, White Leghorn chickens lay white-shelled eggs, while Plymouth Rocks
and Rhode Island Reds lay brown-shelled eggs (1, 2).
Some
breeds of chicken, such as the Araucana, Ameraucana, Dongxiang and Lushi, even
lay blue or blue-green eggs (3).
The
different eggshell colors come from pigments the hens produce. The main pigment
in brown eggshells is called protoporphyrin IX. It is made from heme, the
compound that gives blood its red color (4).
The
main pigment found in blue eggshells is called biliverdin, which also comes
from heme. It’s the same pigment that sometimes gives bruises a blue-green color
(4, 5).
But
while genetics is the main factor that determines egg color, other factors can
have an influence too (4).
For
example, as hens that lay brown eggs age, they tend to lay larger and
lighter-colored eggs.
The
hen's environment, diet and level of stress may also affect shell color, to
some extent (4).
These
factors can make the shade lighter or darker, but not necessarily change the
color itself. The main factor determining color is still the breed.
SUMMARY:Chicken eggs can be brown,
white or even blue-green. The color of an egg is determined by the breed of the
hen that lays it.
Are Brown Eggs
Healthier Than White Eggs?
Often,
people who prefer brown eggs do so because they believe brown eggs are more
natural and healthy than white eggs.
However,
the truth is that all eggs are nutritionally very similar, regardless of size,
grade or color (2, 6, 7).
Both
brown and white eggs are healthy foods. A typical egg contains lots of
vitamins, minerals and high-quality protein, all wrapped up into less than 80
calories (8).
However,
scientists have compared eggs with brown shells to those with white shells to
see if there is any difference. Several studies have found that shell color has
no significant effect on egg quality and composition (9).
This
means that the color of an egg's shell doesn't have much to do with how healthy
it is. The only real difference is the pigment in the shell.
However,
there are other factors that can affect
the nutritional content of an egg.
The
hen's environment can have a major impact. For example, eggs from hens that are
allowed to roam in the sunshine contain 3–4 times the amount of vitamin D you'd
find in eggs from a conventionally raised hen (10).
The
type of feed a hen eats can also affect the nutrient content of her eggs.
Hens
fed a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids produce eggs that contain much
higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids than normal. The same effect has been
found with vitamin D when chickens eat vitamin-D-enriched feed (11, 12).
SUMMARY:There is no nutritional
difference between brown and white eggs. However, a hen's diet and environment
can affect an egg's nutrition.
Does One Color of Egg Taste Better?
Some
people swear that brown eggs taste better, while others prefer the taste of
white eggs.
But
just as with nutritional content, there is no real difference between the taste
of brown- and white-shelled eggs (13).
However,
that doesn't necessarily mean that all eggs
taste the same.
Even
though shell color doesn't make a difference, other factors such as type of
feed, freshness and how an egg is cooked may affect the way it tastes.
For
example, hens fed a diet rich in fat produce more flavorful eggs than hens fed
a lower-fat diet. And hens given feed that contains too much fish oil, certain types of fats or even vitamins A or D
may produce fishy or off-tasting eggs (13, 14, 15).
The
diet of a home-raised hen is not the same as that of a conventionally raised
hen, which may also affect the flavor of the eggs.
Additionally,
the longer the egg is stored, the more likely it is to develop an off flavor.
Storing eggs at a stable, low temperature, like in the refrigerator, can help
preserve their flavor for longer (13).
These
reasons may be why some people believe that eggs from home-raised chickens
taste better than those from conventionally raised chickens.
Backyard
eggs don't go through processing and shipping like conventional ones do, so
they may end up on your plate more quickly than eggs bought from the store.
Because they're fresher, they may taste better.
Surprisingly,
the way an egg is cooked may affect its flavor too.
One
study looked at how fish oil, which is used in chicken feed to raise omega-3
levels, changed the flavor of eggs. It found that fish-oil and conventional
eggs tasted the same when scrambled (16).
However,
when boiled, the eggs from hens fed fish oil had more of an off-flavor or
sulfur-flavor (16).
So,
while many factors may affect egg flavor, shell color does not.
SUMMARY:Brown and white eggs
generally taste the same. But eggs can taste different depending on how fresh
they are, the way they're cooked and the diet of the hen.
Why Are Brown
Eggs More Expensive?
Even
though brown and white eggs seem to be the same by all measures other than
color, brown eggs still tend to cost more at the store.
This
fact has led many people to believe that brown eggs are healthier or
higher-quality than white ones.
However,
the cause of this price gap is quite different.
In
truth, brown eggs cost more because in the past, brown-laying hens tended to be
larger and lay fewer eggs than white-laying hens. Therefore, brown eggs needed
to be sold at a higher price to make up for the extra costs (2).
Today,
brown-laying hens have nearly the same production costs as white-laying hens.
Nevertheless, their eggs still tend to come with a higher price tag (2).
This
may be because specialty eggs, such as free-range or organic, tend to be brown
rather than white.
SUMMARY:Brown eggs used to cost more
because brown-laying hens produced less and weighed more. While that's no
longer true, brown eggs still come with a higher price tag.
If Color
Doesn't Matter, What Does?
It's
clear that color isn't an important factor. So what should you take into
account when buying eggs?
Here's
a quick look at the different types available and what their labels mean.
All
Natural
The
term "natural" is not regulated in the US because natural cannot be
defined (17).
Eggs
labeled "naturally raised" or "all natural" are no
different than any other egg.
Organic
Eggs
that are certified as organic in the United States and European Union are from
chickens given only organic and non-GMO feed.
They
must also have year-round access to the outdoors.
In
addition, they have not been given antibiotics or hormones, though hormones are
never permitted for laying hens (18).
The
organic label means antibiotics may only be used when medically necessary.
Otherwise, low doses of antibiotics are often given in feed and water, which
can contribute to antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
Currently,
there is no evidence that organic eggs are more nutritious than conventional
eggs (19).
Still,
certified organic hens' quality of life is probably better and greater access
to sunshine probably increases the vitamin D in their eggs (10).
Cage-Free
When
the term "cage-free" is applied to eggs, it may be misleading.
While
conventionally raised hens in the US are housed indoors in very small,
individual cages, cage-free hens are housed in an open building or room (17).
However,
the conditions for cage-free hens are often still very crowded, with no access
to the outdoors.
Cage-free
living may be slightly better for the hen. However, in terms of nutrition,
cage-free eggs are probably no healthier than conventional eggs.
Free-Range
The
label "free-range" signifies eggs that come from hens housed with
some form of continuous access to the outdoors (17).
This
ideally provides a better quality of life for the hens.
It
may also increase the nutritional quality of the eggs, since hens that are
exposed to sunlight produce eggs with much higher vitamin D levels (10).
Omega-3
Enriched
Omega-3 enriched eggs come from hens fed a diet
enriched with healthy omega-3 fats.
Therefore,
the omega-3 content of the egg is much higher than normal.
Omega-3
enriched eggs provide an alternative source of omega-3 fats, which are
traditionally very limited in the human diet. Choosing omega-3 enriched eggs
may offer some health benefits.
Previously,
one small study showed that consuming four omega-3-enriched eggs every day for
four weeks lowered blood triglycerides and blood pressure in participants (20).
Another
study found that consuming two omega-3 enriched eggs every day for six weeks
increased the omega-3 fat content of the breast milk from breastfeeding mothers
(21).
Overall,
omega-3 enriched eggs may offer some additional health benefits over the
average egg.
Backyard
and Local
Eggs
that come from backyard flocks or those bought directly from small, local
farmers are likely to be the freshest and usually come from hens that live in
more natural environments with plenty of access to sunshine.
The
diets of backyard hens may be different from conventionally raised hens and
this may affect the nutrition content of the eggs, as well.
This
is especially true if the hens have access to grass, since hens fed grass as
well as conventional feed have been found to produce eggs that have higher
levels of omega-3 fats and vitamin E (22).
However,
backyard flocks are not subjected to the same hygiene regulations as commercial
flocks, so be sure to buy local or backyard eggs only from sources that you
know follow good care and hygiene practices.
SUMMARY:The color of an egg isn't
important, but there are many other factors to consider when selecting eggs.
The Bottom Line
Eggs
come in many colors, depending on chicken breed.
However,
there is no nutritional difference between brown and white eggs. In the end,
the only real difference is shell color and maybe price.
Nevertheless,
other factors do affect the flavor and nutrition of eggs, including the hen's
diet and housing conditions.
So
the next time you reach for a carton of eggs, make sure you're taking these
other factors into account. Shell color won't tell you the whole story.
·
You can read more in this article: 10 Evidence-Based Health
Benefits of Eggs.
BOTTOM LINE:Eggs help you stay
full, may promote weight loss and help protect your brain and eyes. They may
also reduce inflammation.
Eggs Are Super
Healthy (for Most People)
In
general, eggs are one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods you
can eat.
In
most cases, they do not increase cholesterol levels much. Even when they do,
they often increase HDL (the "good") cholesterol and modify the shape
and size of LDL in a way that reduces disease risk.
However,
as with most things in nutrition, this may not apply to everyone and some
people may need to limit their egg intake.
More
about eggs:
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