Get more eggs in your diet

By: Julie Whittington | Mooresville Tribune
Published: April 05, 2009

This spring, learn to incorporate the ever-favorite egg into your regular cuisine. The egg has a lot going for it — it is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids your body needs; it is easy to prepare; it is generally easy to digest; it comes in many varieties, including organic, cage-free and omega-3-enriched; and it is inexpensive.

Sometimes the egg gets a bad rap due to the fact that an egg yolk contains almost a full day's worth of dietary cholesterol. One egg yolk contains about 213 milligrams of cholesterol. For most healthy people, the recommendation is that you limit daily cholesterol to 300 milligrams. For individuals with cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol or diabetes, the recommendation is to limit daily cholesterol to 200 milligrams.

For most healthy people, it is possible to include a daily whole egg in one's meal plan. Many people, of course, choose to have eggs every once in a while and have a couple at a time, which, can be fine, too. Don't forget that dietary cholesterol does not impact blood cholesterol as much as saturated and trans fats do. You are far better having a breakfast of scrambled eggs with an English muffin and fruit than you are picking up most fast food breakfast sandwiches.

In general, I encourage consumers to eat eggs as part of a well-balanced diet. First, one egg has about 6 grams of protein. Protein is very important at all your meals — not just lunch and dinner. Incorporating protein at breakfast may help stave off hunger, reduce cravings later in the day, balance blood sugars and increase your ability to focus during the day.

Next, eggs contain antioxidants like vitamin E and selenium. Third, vitamin A and some B vitamins are also found in eggs. Another nutrient, lutein, is especially good for eye health and may prevent macular degeneration. In enriched eggs, you can get healthy omega-3 fats. Finally, eggs supply choline, a compound necessary for healthy cell membranes and nerves that plays a role in normal brain development, the removal of homocysteine from the blood (thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease) and reducing fat in the liver (fatty liver).

While the yolk is the source of most of the good-for-you nutrients (in addition to the fat and cholesterol), even without the yolk, an egg still is nutritious, providing a fat-free, cholesterol-free and low calorie protein choice.

So, this Easter, as you set out to dye eggs, don't forget to consider them as an easy to prepare and inexpensive source of good nutrition. Listed below are some recipe ideas. Choose egg whites only (2 egg whites can be used in place of a whole egg in most recipes) if you are watching your heart health or trying to reduce the fat in your diet to achieve healthy weight:

+ Egg salad sandwich or hardboiled egg on mixed greens salad;

+ Scrambled eggs, wheat toast and orange slices;

+ Deviled eggs at holiday gatherings;

+ Vegetable omelette with a whole wheat English muffin;

+ Harboiled egg whites as part of a snack;

+ Rice, shrimp and egg skillet dinner with vegetables (a healthy version of fried rice);

+ Meringue cookies; and

+ French toast made with whole grain bread. Dip into lowfat yogurt and serve with berries.