Studies have shown that eating up to three whole eggs per day is safe for most people; here are some health-enhancing reasons why you should enjoy this popular breakfast staple.
Eggs improve nutrient adequacy of your diet
The nutrient density of eggs makes them a valuable contributor to a nutritious diet as eggs contain decent amounts of vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, B12, D, E, K, together with phosphorus, selenium, calcium and zinc.
Eggs help to improve performance
Eggs have a high satiety index, that is- they make you feel full for longer, one large egg supplies 6 grams of high quality protein and a large variety of essential nutrients, with the exception of vitamin C,so teaming up with a fruit or orange juice with an egg and whole-wheat bread provides the perfect breakfast to perform well in a challenging environment.
Eggs are excellent source of iron
Iron is the carrier of oxygen in your blood and it plays an important role in immunity, energy metabolism and many other functions in the body- the iron in egg yolk is in the form of heme iron, the most readily absorbable and usable form of iron in food and more absorbable than the form of iron in most supplements.
Eggs can help to promote weight loss
Eggs with toast have a 50% higher satiety index than regular breakfast cereals, several studies have reported that starting the day with an egg breakfast increases satiety in overweight people and can therefore, help with weight loss.When teamed up with whole grains (for example whole-wheat bread) and fruit or vegetables they are a complete meal, readily available, easy to prepare and inexpensive, making them a useful tool in weight-loss programs.
Eggs help to promote brain health
Eggs are an excellent dietary source of choline, a nutrient that facilitates brain development in the fetus and newborn as well as memory function even into old age and one egg per day will provide 28% of a pregnant woman’s choline requirement. It is therefore important for mothers to make a lifelong investment and eat eggs!
Eggs help to prevent cataracts and to protect eye sight
A good dietary intake of eggs, spinach and broccoli is associated with a significant decrease in cataracts- eggs are a good source of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine, which play an important role in keeping the eyes healthy, it accumulates in your eye where these nutrients protect against some types of harmful, high-energy wavelengths of light. Getting enough lutein and zeaxanthine is therefore very important from childhood onward throughout the life cycle.
Eggs provide the best quality protein
Protein is one of the most important elements of our diet, our bodies use protein to build new and repair old tissues and eggs are champions at providing high quality protein and also contain enough of the nine essential amino acids to promote growth and maintain body tissue.
Eggs can help to protect our bones
Eggs are one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D, our sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and for maintaining optimum bone health. Eggs therefore play a supporting role in the prevention of osteoporosis together with dairy products, our main source of calcium.
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