The Incredible Egg!

Let me be perfectly clear: Eggs are one of the most perfect foods on the planet. And wait for it, that includes the yolk. Yup, the yolk, that poor, misunderstood, but essential component of the egg that too often gets thrown out in a misguided attempt to avoid cholesterol and fat So let's clear a few things up about eggs, cholesterol, fat and health. 1: The cholesterol in eggs has virtually no effect on the cholesterol in your blood. 2: The fat in the egg yolk is mostly monosaturated fat, the same kind found in olive oil (which is good for you). Yes, that's right. Of the 5.3 grams of total fat in one large egg, only 1.6 grams are saturated (not a good fat). 3: Many of the nutrients that make eggs so incredibly healthy are found in the yolk. Like lutein and zeaxanthin, two members of the carotenoid family that are beneficial for eye health. The yolk also contains choline, which is important for brain health, and vitamin D which most of us are not getting enough of these days. The idea that eating eggs is bad for your heart is a myth. No study has linked egg eating to greater risk of heart disease. In fact, quite the opposite. According to an article in Harvard Health (a publication of Harvard Medical School), "The only large study to look at the impact of egg consumption on heart disease ... found no connection between the two."Research has also shown that eggs eaten at the start of the day can reduce your daily caloric intake, prevent snacking between meals, and keep you satisfied. However, not every egg you eat is the same. Stay away from scrambled eggs at open buffets. While the cholesterol in eggs poses no real harm to you, when that cholesterol is "scrambled" and then exposed to air and oxygen for a long time (like on an open buffet), it becomes damaged, also most scrambled eggs eaten out are made with butter or cream, maybe even both. That's not something you really want in your body. Better to poach, soft or hard boil them. If you do scramble eggs, cook them yourself with spray oil and low fat milk. At least you know how they are prepared and not sitting in a luke warm buffet tray for hours .