Egg yolks aren't as bad as you would think
Q: I recently made the commitment to a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and healthier eating. One problem I am having is with egg whites. I tried switching from whole eggs to scrambled egg whites, but am finding it difficult on my palate. Do you have any good egg white recipes to make them more tolerable?
A: I don't have any egg white recipes, but I can offer you a good whole-egg recipe. But first, let me address the bigger problem with your diet - eating egg whites only. Egg yolks gained a bad rep many years ago. That was back when nutrition experts believed that all fat was bad for you. Today we know that fat is not the enemy, especially healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and essential omega-3 fats. Although egg yolks have some saturated fats, it makes up less than half of the total fat. Plus the type of saturated fat in egg yolks does not get stored readily as body fat. Not to mention, you can buy eggs that have higher amounts of omega-3 fats, which can actually aid fat burning, as well as boost muscle and joint recovery. Worried about the cholesterol in egg yolks? Don't. Approximately two-thirds of the cholesterol in your blood is made in your body by the liver. What‘s more, several recent studies have found no link between eating whole eggs and the risk of heart attack or stroke in healthy people. A University of Connecticut study found that subjects consuming 640 mg of cholesterol from egg yolks daily for 30 days did not experience an increase in the LDL-cholesterol that is associated with cardiovascular disease. And another study found that subjects eating one egg per day for 12 weeks increased their levels of the heart-protective HDL cholesterol. This may be due to the lecithin found in egg yolks. Egg yolks are also a good vitamin D, choline (which boosts brain function) and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (which promotoe eye health). If that weren‘t enough, subjects eating egg yolks and weight training gained significantly more muscle and strength than those not consuming egg yolks. Plus, clinical research shows that subjects starting the day with eggs lose more fat than those not getting eggs for breakfast. So go back to eating whole eggs. I suggest that for every two eggs you eat, make at least one a whole egg.
Now try this egg omelet recipe to start your day. Scramble 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites while heating one teaspoon of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Pour eggs in pan. When eggs firm up, flip over to cook the other side. Add 2 oz. fat-free or low-fat feta cheese and 1 cup of chopped spinach. Fold over eggs in half. Cook until cheese begins to melt then serve.
Nutritional content: 300 calories, 35 gram of protein, 3 grams of carbs, 15 grams of fat.
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