San Diego Health archives...
Can eggs be part of a heart healthy diet?
According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, eggs don't deserve the bad reputation they've received over past 40 years. In fact, eggs fit perfectly into an overall healthy diet.
"But aren't eggs loaded in cholesterol?" you may ask.
While it's true that one egg contains a bit more than 200 mg of cholesterol (which would be more than half of the suggested total daily amount for an average adult), eating eggs does not raise the blood cholesterol level in most humans. No link has been found between egg consumption and heart disease or stroke! On the contrary, eggs are rich in nutrients that may actually promote heart health. Other benefits of eating eggs include:
- For pregnant women, eggs provide nutrients that may support healthy fetal brain development and help prevent birth defects.
- For the rest of us, eggs contain nutrients that help reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Eggs are also a good low-calorie source of protein for muscle development and, since the high protein content is good at satisfying hunger, eggs fit well into a weight-management diet.
For healthy people, including one or two eggs into their daily diet is a smart food choice. If you still have cholesterol concerns, the yolks can be removed since they contain all of the fat and cholesterol.
So, the next time you're planning a meal or just looking for something to prepare in a hurry -- whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner -- consider eggs. They are relatively inexpensive, delicious tasting, easy to chew and easy to digest. They store well in the refrigerator and are simple and fast to prepare. But best of all, they're healthy!
Egg safety tips:
- Store eggs in their original container inside the refrigerator. When it comes to shelf life, they age as much in one day on the counter as they would in one week in the refrigerator. And storing them on a refrigerator shelf rather than on the door will minimize dramatic changes in temperature and opportunity for breakage. If an egg is cracked or dirty, it should be discarded since there is a chance that bacteria has penetrated the protective shell.
- Refrigerated eggs are normally safe to consume for even up to two to three weeks after the expiration date on the container.
- If you are curious about the freshness of an egg, one way to test it is to carefully drop the egg into a cold glass of water. A fresh egg will sit flat on its side at the bottom of the cup. A slightly older egg will stand on its point at the bottom of the cup. This means that it has a little more age on it, though it should still be safe for consumption. In fact, eggs that stand on the bottom of the cup of water work best for hard boiling since air has developed between the egg contents and the shell. This means that peeling the shell will be easier than if you used a fresher egg. If the egg floats, it's time for it to be discarded.
For more information, visit:
http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/newsevents/newsreleases2010/april/eggs.shtml
http://www.agr.georgia.gov/portal/site/AGR/menuitem.ac7f2b3657e79bae05614b10d03036a0/
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