In Praise of Eggs

What's in an Egg

Eggs have been a controversial food over the years. It has been insisted that because eggs contain cholesterol they must be bad for you. We have been exhorted to eat omelets made from just the white of the egg to minimise our fat intake and, in typical fashion we've lapped up this nonsense. But throwing away the egg yolk, that golden, sunny ball of complete and exceptional nutrition is nothing short of vandalism.

The egg yolk is one of nature's most complete and wonderful foods. Pasture raised organically handled hens produce the most wonderful delicious eggs and we really need to celebrate them. Sadly their caged raised sisters do not have access to such a wonderful diet and consequently their sacrifices result in eggs of lower nutritional standard. Let the girls out into the sunshine and the eggs they give us are orders of magnitude better for us, for the hens and for the planet.

It is by no means certain that cholesterol is the ogre it's been painted. It is the primary building block for the majority of our steroid hormones. Insufficient cholesterol can result in depression, muscle pain, personality change and menstrual problems in women. This is particularly evident in people taking Statin class drugs. I promise to stay off that particular soap box right now but suffice to say when government decides EVERYONE over a certain age should be on a drug we really have to wonder who is benefiting.

So What is in that gorgeous oval of flavour. The World's Healthiest Foods points out that a single egg contains 34% of our daily choline needs. Choline deficiency results in fatty liver disease and can cause cell signalling and nerve signalling defects. Consuming significant dietary choline can prevent these things. Eggs are the reference food for protein with a high biological value. This means they are easily digested and used to support the body's needs. Eggs are also a rich source of selenium and iodine. These minerals are significant because they are difficult to obtain from other sources and while they are freely available in fish, shell fish and mushrooms many folk avoid these foods but are happy to eat eggs.

According to Authority Nutrition eggs help weight loss. In a study of 30 overweight or obese women who ate either a bagel or eggs for breakfast, those who ate eggs ate less at lunch and less over the next 36 hours. The egg is certainly advocated by both Slimming World and Weight Watchers in the UK!

The egg is unusually nutrient dense. It is easily digested and forms a wonderful part of the human diet. It is possible but difficult to supplement in baking and, if ethically farmed or husbanded is an exceptionally sustainable food.

Our eggs come from rescued barn hens. Lovely ladies who hitch up their skirts to dash about the garden in search of insects, plants and entertainment. We know our hens have a truely relaxed and entertaining existance. If your breakfast comes from such a wonderful source its difficult to go to work without a smile on your face.

Happy Thursday
Katherine