An Egg A Day Keeps The Doctor Away

Atkins, the original low carb experts, debunks all myths surrounding eggs and how the egg-ceptional superfood helps maintain weight wellness.

Eggs have received a bad rap over the years. While rich in protein and nutrients, eggs have been accused of raising cholesterol levels and increasing health risks. The reality? Not true, says Atkins nutritionist Colette Heimowitz. 

“Eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can consume. One large egg provides six grams of high-quality, easily digested protein and all the essential amino acids.

Eggs are also a significant source of several vitamins and minerals, and provide high-quality protein at a lower cost than many other animal-protein foods,” says Heimowitz.

The yolk of a large egg contains four-five grams of fat, mainly the unsaturated type, and contains choline, an important substance necessary for fat breakdown and brain function.

The main ingredient in omelettes, quiches, scrambles, frittatas and more, eggs are a delicious and satisfying part of a healthy lifestyle.

Research continues to show that eggs are a perfectly acceptable part of your daily meal plan.

In an analysis published in the British Modern Journal,[1] researchers reviewed eight studies including 263,938 subjects and concluded that eating an egg a day does not increase the risk of heart disease or stroke.

In addition to this, a large body of research over five decades has revealed no association between eating eggs and heart disease.

• No impact on cholesterol or blood. Research by A. I. Qureshi et al., published in Medical Science Monitor[2] in 2007, involving 9,500 overweight but otherwise healthy adults showed that eating one or more eggs a day had no impact on cholesterol levels and didn’t increase the subjects’ risk of heart disease or stroke. There also appears to be an association between egg consumption and decreased blood pressure.

• Enhanced weight loss. According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity in 2008[3] by J. S. Vander Wal et al., subjects who ate eggs lost more weight and felt more energetic in comparison to subjects who ate a bagel for breakfast. Both groups were on reduced-calorie diets, and the egg and bagel breakfasts both contained the same number of calories.

• Enhanced satiety. Research published in 2005 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition[4], by J. S. Vander Wal et al., indicated that individuals who ate eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied and were likely to consume fewer calories at lunchtime. Compared to bagel consumption, those who ate eggs lost 65% more weight and had a 51% reduction in BMI.

• Increase in “good” cholesterol. A 2008 study led by G. Mutungi, published in The Journal of Nutrition[5], that compared the results of following the Atkins lifestyle both with and without eggs found that eating three eggs a day is associated with a greater increase in HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

• No impact on heart disease. Finally, a recent study released in “Heart” [6] followed over 415,000 participants in China over a period of nine years and compared the diets of non-egg eaters with people who ate eggs. The results showed that the participants who consumed eggs had a significantly lower risk of being diagnosed with heart disease.

So, what’s the verdict? “Go ahead and enjoy your breakfast, lunch or dinner with eggs in all their wondrous variety, without a smidgen of guilt,” says Heimowitz.

“Often overlooked as a superfood, eggs are a cornerstone of a healthy diet and contain vital nutrients like choline, selenium and vitamin B12.

Consuming one egg a day is good for heart health and can potentially lead to an increase in good or HDL high-density lipoproteins (cholesterol).”

Following this egg-cellent news, the team at Atkins Nutritionals has shared some well portioned, protein rich, healthy and low-carb recipes featuring eggs:

Eggs baked in avocado

Quiche cup

Eggs benedict with portobello mushrooms

Crust less spinach, mushroom and feta quiche

You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.

ABOUT ATKINS

Scientifically formulated for safe and effective weight loss, weight management and healthy lifelong eating, Atkins is an easy to follow, flexible four-phased program (start at the phase that best suits you) that helps you build a diet around whole foods rich in vitamins and ‘good carbohydrates’ including low sugar fruits, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, dairy, good fats, and protein (fish, poultry, meat and tofu) – while at the same time helping you eliminate highly processed carbs such as white flour and sugar. For further information or more delicious low carb recipe ideas, visit atkins.com

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