The egg is an encapsulated source of macro and micronutrients.
The perfect balance and diversity of its nutrients along with its high digestibility and affordable price have put the egg in the spotlight as a basic food for humans.
5 Myths About Eggs to Debunk
1. Eating eggs raises cholesterol
Most experimental, clinical and epidemiological studies have concluded that there is no evidence of a correlation between dietary cholesterol from eggs and an increase in total blood cholesterol.
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Some phospholipids called lecithins are thought to be able to limit the absorption of cholesterol in humans .
Be careful though, because the quality of life and the type of food offered to the hens greatly affects the quantity of lecithins present.
2. You should eat a maximum of 2 eggs a week
This is one of the most popular beliefs and a point we want to shed light on in relation to the 5 myths to debunk about eggs.
Based on the findings, the Heart Foundation's position also towards New Zealanders who are among the populations most at risk of heart disease, is that they can eat up to six eggs a week. as part of a heart-healthy diet.
Even according to the European recommendations issued by EFSA, it is recommended not to exceed 7 eggs per week, because even if the correlation of an increase in cholesterol through the consumption of eggs has not been demonstrated, let's not forget that it is a food that provides a significant amount of acids, like all animal proteins; therefore, it is good not to abuse it.
So always choose organic eggs from free-range hens.
3. Free range eggs are better than conventional eggs
One of the 5 myths to debunk about eggs is the confusion that is generated between free-range and cage-free farming.
In free-range farms, even though the hens are not locked in cages throughout their lives, they do not have access to the outside.
The only freedom they have is to move around inside the shed , which can have multiple floors (up to 4) or a single floor, similar to those where broiler chickens are raised for meat production.
In this type of farm, hens suffer from excessive crowding , causing them stress and episodes of aggression (plumophagia) and from the lack of natural light .
Studies have shown that this uncomfortable situation for the hens consequently causes a worsening of the nutritional status of their eggs as well.
Organic farms, on the other hand, require by law that the hens are fed organic feed and have a large area to move around .
4. It is healthier to eat only the white part "albumen" of the egg
Although for years we believed that it was healthier to use only the egg white (white part) to limit the intake of cholesterol and fat, today we know that most of the healthy nutrients reside in the yolk (yellow/orange part).
Interestingly, the content of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, K) is found only in egg yolk and its content strongly depends on the hen's diet.
Eggs are also an important source of choline, which is mainly concentrated in the yolk.
So for omnivores and vegetarians we highly recommend eating the whole egg rather than just using the egg white.
5. Boiling eggs is considered the healthiest cooking method
Many people are still convinced that hard-boiled eggs are the healthiest way to cook this fabulous food, but in reality this is not the case.
While eating raw eggs, “Rocky Balboa style” is certainly not the best way to limit the risks associated with salmonellosis, nor to exploit all the nutrients in eggs given their high content of anti-nutrients, it is also true that boiling eggs can significantly reduce their overall nutritional value, especially that of lecithins, which are precisely the substances that help reduce cholesterol absorption.
It is therefore necessary to find a balance by using a more respectful cooking method (2-3 minutes of boiling), such as soft-boiled or poached eggs, which allows you to greatly reduce the amount of anti-nutrients during cooking, but without denaturing the lecithins.
Conclusion
After reading the 5 myths to debunk about eggs, omnivores and vegetarians are advised to regularly introduce eggs into their diet, but we recommend always choosing species-friendly farms such as, for example, organic eggs from free-range hens .
Furthermore, to make the most of all the most important nutrients it is essential to choose a balanced type of cooking such as soft-boiled or poached.
Sources:
- What came first, the egg or the prejudice? Myths and realities about a food through the analysis of its fats Rev Enferm 1984 Sep;7(72-73):17-20.
