How Nutritious is Egg?

Sunday ho ya Monday Roj Khao Ande is a famous slogan we have been hearing since our childhood.  Vice-Chairman of International Egg Commission (IEC) Suresh Chitturi said that India can reduce its burden of under nutrition by adding eggs to the diet of its people on the occasion of World Egg Day, to help raise awareness of the benefits of egg and its importance in human nutrition. 
 Since the domestication of the chicken, people have been enjoying and nourishing themselves with eggs. As a long time symbol of fertility and rebirth, the egg has taken its place in religious as well as culinary history. In Christianity, the symbol of the decorated egg has become synonymous with Easter. There are lots of different types of egg available, the most commonly raised are chicken eggs while more gourmet choices include duck, goose and quail eggs. 

The IEC's effort to ensure the nutritive food reaches the palate of the most. Asked how the plan is like to convince people to consume eggs since India is largely a vegetarian country, he said, '' Indian eating habits are fast changing, yet there are certain myths about considering eggs as non-vegetarian. Thanks to social media, there has been a lot of awareness on busting these myths and promoting egg as an inexpensive pack of protein & nutrition, and vegetarians have started including egg in their diet. '' 

Eggs are a very good source of inexpensive, high quality protein. More than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white along with vitamin B2 and lower amounts of fat than the yolk. Eggs are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. Egg yolks contain more calories and fat than the whites. They are a source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and lecithin - the compound that enables emulsification in recipes such as hollandaise or mayonnaise. 

Some brands of egg now contain omega-3 fatty acids, depending on what the chickens have been fed (always check the box). Eggs are regarded a 'complete' source of protein as they contain all nine essential amino acids; the ones we cannot synthesize in our bodies and must obtain from our diet. 

For years eggs were considered more of a health risk than a healthy food. This is because they were considered a high cholesterol food, so those with high cholesterol levels were advised to avoid them. We now know that the cholesterol found in food has much less of an effect on our blood cholesterol than the amount of saturated fat we eat. If you’ve been advised by your GP to change your diet in an attempt to reduce your blood cholesterol levels, the best thing to do is to keep to daily guideline intakes for saturated fat (20g for the average woman and 30g for the average man) opting instead for mono-unsaturated fats found in olive and rapeseed oils. It's also a good idea to increase your intake of fruit, vegetables and fibre whilst minimising sugars and refined carbs. 

Eggs are one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods.  One large (53g) Grade-A egg contains 6g of protein and only 70 calories.  Canada's Food Guide  considers 2 eggs to be one serving from the Meat and Alternatives food group. 

Eggs are one of the few foods considered to be a complete protein, because they contain all 9 essential amino acids.  Amino acids are considered ‘building blocks for the body’ because they help form protein. 

In addition to giving you energy, your body uses the protein found in eggs to: 

• build and repair body tissues and cells 

• build and maintain healthy muscles 

• grow strong hair and nails 

• help fight infections 

• help keep your body fluids in balance 

Eggs are not only an excellent source of high-quality protein, but they also contain many vitamins and minerals. If you’ve been avoiding eggs because of concerns linking them to dietary cholesterol and coronary heart disease, it’s time to reconsider.  The latest research shows that dietary cholesterol, like what’s in eggs, has very little effect on your blood cholesterol levels.  Healthy adults can enjoy an egg every day without increasing their risk of heart disease. 

According to the American Heart Association, lutein found in egg yolks also protects against the progress of early heart disease. 

Omega-3s are a type of polyunsaturated fat, or healthy fat, known to protect your heart.  They are essential for good health, but our bodies do not naturally produce them, which is why we have to eat them from foods such as salmon, certain types of oils and nuts, and Omega-3 eggs. Omega-3 eggs are produced by feeding hens a diet containing flaxseed, a known source of Omega-3.  Flaxseed naturally contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based type of Omega-3 fatty acid.