The Truth About Eggs
Some say you should only eat three a week – others say you should completely avoid them as they are sky-high in cholesterol. Others recommend that you eat one at breakfast everyday to keep hunger at bay and to help you lose weight. So what exactly is the debate on eggs about? Are they good? Are they bad? And how often should you actually eat them?
Nutritional value of eggs
The egg is a nutrient-dense food, containing high quality protein and a wide range of essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Eggs can therefore make a significant contribution to a healthy diet. A medium egg has an energy value of 85 kilocalories, thus the consumption of one egg daily would contribute only around 3% of the average energy requirement of an adult man; 4% for an adult woman. Eggs contain most of the vitamins with the exception of vitamin C. They are a particularly rich source of vitamins B12, B2 (riboflavin) and folate. Eggs are also a good source of the fat-soluble vitamins A and D and also provide some vitamin E. Approximately 11% of the egg content is fat. The fat of an egg is found almost entirely in the yolk; there is less than 0.05% in the albumen (egg white). Approximately 17% of an egg’s fatty acids are polyunsaturated, 44% monounsaturated and 32% saturated. Eggs are also a significant source of cholesterol.
Cholesterol in eggs and coronary heart disease
Eggs, as with liver, kidney and prawns, do contain more dietary cholesterol than many other foods. In the past, if you had high blood cholesterol, advice was to limit the intake of these foods. Eggs in particular tended to be eaten more frequently than liver, kidney or prawns, therefore they were thrown into the spotlight when it came to advising people to cut down on cholesterol containing foods.
However, more recent research has shown that cholesterol in food actually has little effect on our blood cholesterol levels. What really has an effect on blood cholesterol is the amount of saturated fat that in present in the diet. Therefore if you have high cholesterol, the priority is to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet, which is found in full-fat milk, butter, lard, cream, pastries. cakes, chocolates and crisps. Eating a diet that is high in soluble fibre (found in oats, pulses, fruit and vegetables) can also help to lower cholesterol.
Thanks to this eggs-cellent news… for general people and for people who have high cholesterol, current recommendations from Dieticians are that you don’t have to limit the number of eggs you eat unless you have been advised to do so by your GP or Dietitian. As previously mentioned, if you have high cholesterol, it is of greater importance to watch your intake of saturated fat.
Eggs and salmonella
In the past there have also been concerns about the safety of eggs, particularly in relation to salmonella. However the risk of getting salmonella from eggs is very low, given the stringent safety procedures that the UK eggs industry has to go through. However, studies have shown that on average the risk of finding an egg with salmonella inside it is 0.0005% (five thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you are an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years!
However, to reduce the risk of food poisoning from eggs, the British Egg Information Service recommends the following:
- Look for the Lion Quality mark (or the words ‘Lion Quality’) on the egg-shell and egg box. This mark indicates that the eggs have been produced to the highest standard of food safety (which includes vaccination against Salmonella Enteritidis)
- Buy eggs from a reputable retailer where the eggs have been transported and stored at the correct temperature
- Keep the eggs in the fridge in their box after buying them
- Store eggs separately from other foods
- Always use eggs by the “best before” date shown on the egg or box
- Wash your hands before and after handling eggs
- Discard dirty or cracked eggs
- Eat cooked egg dishes as soon as possible after cooking them or store in the fridge
The Foods Standards Agency recommends against eating raw eggs or uncooked foods such as mousse or fresh mayonnaise. Susceptible population groups such as babies, toddlers, pregnant women, the elderly or people who are unwell should only eat eggs that have been cooked until the white and yolk are solid.
References:
- Thomas B, Bishop J. Manual of dietetic practice.4th ed. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.2007
- Geisller C, Powers H. Human Nutrition. 11th edition. Elsevier Ltd. 2006
- Foods Standard Agency. Egg survey.
- British Egg information Service.
