Myth Buster: Eggs 🍳

Today I want to dedicate a post to the humble egg which is often times misrepresented and under appreciated 🍳😵

Eggs have been demonized for their high cholesterol content and many of us have been told to limit our consumption to be “heart healthy”. But I’m here to let you in on a little secret…you can enjoy your eggs (and as many as you like) without having to worry 😊

Total cholesterol is not as indicative of health as the differential (HDL, LDL, vLDL) and triglycerides. The different types of cholesterol can tell the entire story of your health.

Eggs do in fact contain 200 mg of cholesterol per egg, but exogenous cholesterol from food sources actually does not raise LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), only the HDL (high HDL= health).The body manufactures its own cholesterol (mainly LDL) from sugar. When sugar and starch are over consumed the smaller LDL cholesterol builds up in the arteries leading to high serum levels. The best way to prevent this is to eat a high fat diet and low in sugar and starch.

Cholesterol is actually the backbone of all sex hormones and hormones can begin to fluctuate and decrease when not enough cholesterol is present!

Whole eggs truly are a super food containing heart healthy CLA, brain boosting Omega 3 fatty acids and choline, bio available vitamin A, D, and K as well as b-Vitamins, especially folate and b12 which are essential for healthy mitochondria. They also offer 6 g of complete protein per egg which is essential for proper body function and tissue growth.Of course, proper sourcing is necessary to ensure the egg has the optimal nutritional profile. You can recognize a nutrient dense egg by its striking orange yolk.

When buying eggs, try to get them from a local farmer who keeps their birds outdoors where they can forage (chicken are not vegetarian)! Alternatively look for pasture raised organic eggs such as those from
@vitalfarms @happyeggcousa

My go to breakfast is always an egg pancake, which is super easy to make 🍳👩🏻‍🍳
Simply beat as many eggs are you like (I use 2-3) with salt and pepper, heat up grass fed ghee in a pan and fry the “batter” for a few minutes on each side. I love to top it with avocado and butter @lewisroadusa (smoked salmon @vitalchoice or liverwurst @uswellnessmeats are super yummy too!)

Also, the less processed the egg is, the more nutrients are retained. The best ways to prepare eggs are poached and super soft boiled or the egg pancake (which I make on low-medium heat) until it is barely set. Frying can damage the cholesterol in the egg and the last thing we want are oxidized fats 😅

Apart from chicken eggs, you can also get duck or quail eggs which are similar nutritionally but are a fun way to spice it up!