Eggs Are Good For You!

Due to their high cholesterol content, eggs got a really bad rap in the 80s. Their reputation for being a high-fat, high-cholesterol food has, unfortunately, eclipsed the rest of their nutrition profile. As it turns out, eggs are an excellent source of protein, as well as many key nutrients. While they are high in cholesterol, fat and calories—one large chicken egg contains 213mg of cholesterol, 5g of fat and 80 calories—they can be consumed, in moderation, as part of a healthy diet.

Along with the cholesterol, fat and calories, eggs also are a great source of dietary nutrients including choline, selenium, riboflavin, folate, vitamins A & E, lutein and xeazanthin. Choline is especially important for pregnant women, as it is key to healthy brain growth in the developing fetus. Lutein and zeaxanthin are stored in the retina, where this help protect against macular degeneration.

If you’re concerned about the amount of cholesterol in eggs, try substituting egg whites for half the eggs called for in recipes, or have only one egg every few days. You don’t want to cut out egg yolks entirely, though: while they are the source of all of the cholesterol in the egg, many of the nutrients listed above are also only found in the yolk. (If you’re consuming eggs solely as a protein source, egg whites alone are just fine. All of the egg’s protein is in the white.)

One last thought: real eggs guarantee a premium source of protein and nutrients at a minimal cost. Prepackaged egg substitutes often come with a whole lot of extra ingredients, including salts and preservatives, your diet doesn’t really need, and they’re often triple or even quadruple the price of plain old eggs. If you’re only buying eggs for their whites, don’t get substitutes: invest a few bucks in an egg separator instead.

More about eggs from The Mayo Clinic, About.com and TheDietChannel.com.

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