EGGS
EGGS
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Why eat eggs?
Eggs may be the original superfood!
- Eggs are nutrient dense, full of “the stuff” that makes your body thrive.
- Eggs contain small amounts of almost every vitamin required by the human body!
- Eggs contain many minerals. Minerals are essential and must be acquired from your diet. They are classically divided into Major minerals and minor (trace) minerals. “Major” just means that your body requires more of that mineral to thrive “Minor” means you only need a little. Remember, just because you only need a small amount of a certain trace mineral, that does not make it less important.
- Eggs contain good fats and cholesterol (Yes! Good fat and cholesterol are very healthy) which are critical for energy, vitamin absorption, cell growth/function, brain and nerve health, hormone production and more.
- Eggs contain protein. Protein is critical to boost your metabolism and reduce food cravings. Eating enough protein is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. Protein allows us to remain fit as we age. More muscle mass also improves our body’s ability to respond to insulin, a critical hormone produced by the pancreas. Among its many jobs is to convert glucose into energy. When we live an unhealthy lifestyle such as consuming too many processed foods, not moving enough, and not sleeping well, insulin is not able to do its job. This causes a cascade of negative health problems such as Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early onset dementia.
- Eggs contain many antioxidants including Lutein and zeaxanthin, which are critical for eye health.
Minerals
*Must come from diet, body cannot make*
– Supports bone and muscle health
– Improves energy
– Aids in tissue and cell repair (found in every cell)
– Necessary for proper nerve conduction
– Normalizes heart beat
– Maintains a healthy pH (acid/base balance), allowing cells to perform optimally
– Antioxidant
– Heart healthy
– Anticancer
– Decreases inflammation
– Decreases mental decline
– Supports thyroid health
– Boosts immune system
– Reduces asthma symptoms
– Supports bone and teeth health
– Necessary for muscle contraction and relaxation
– Heart healthy
– Co-factor (has to be present) for many reactions to take place
– Supports healthy blood pressure
– Supports normal blood clotting
– Prevents anemia (deficiency of red blood cells)
– Improves muscle endurance
– Boosts energy
– Boosts immune system
– Improves sleep
– Reduces bruising
– Supports normal blood clotting
– Boosts immune system
– Speeds up wound healing
– Reduces acne
– Decreases age-related illnesses
– Decreases inflammation
– Part of many enzymes for building protein and genetic material (DNA)
– Critical for normal taste
– Supports fetal development
– Assists in sperm production
– Necessary for normal growth and sexual maturation
– Supports bone health
– Antioxidant
– Reduces inflammation
– Regulates blood sugar
– Decrease seizure activity
– Supports brain health
– Supports thyroid health
– Assists in wound healing
– Regulates the body’s fluid balance
– Nervous system health
– Regulates heart and muscle contractions
– Lowers blood pressure
– Protects against strokes
– Prevents kidney stone
– Protects against osteoporosis
Vitamins
– Supports vision/eye health
– Boosts immune system
– Protects and revitalizes skin
– Improves fertility
– Critical for fetal development
– Anti-oxidant, cancer fighting
– Builds strong bones and muscles
– Boosts immune system and reduces inflammation
– Stabilizes mood, antidepressant
– Promotes healthy weight
– Anti-cancer
– Essential for Calcium absorption
– Anti-oxidant (helps repair damaged cells)
– Anti-cancer
– Promotes healthy blood clotting (K1)
– Contributes to bone health (K2)
– Contributes to heart health (K2)
– Anti-cancer
B2 (riboflavin)
B12 (cobalamin)
B9 (folate, folic acid)
B5 (Pantothenic acid)
– Supports cellular health
– Increases energy
– Improves eyesight
– Improves cardiovascular health
– Increases muscle tone
– Improves nerve function
– Increases brain function
FAT
– Allows bones to better utilize calcium (meaning stronger bones)
– Liver protectant
– Supports brain and nerve health (the brain is composed more of saturated fat than polyunsaturated fat)
– Boosts immune system
Omega-3 Fatty acids
Omega-6 Fatty acids
– Reduces mental decline
– Improves infant development (especially DHEA)
– Heart healthy
– Anti-inflammatory
– Heart healthy
– Builds and regulates hormones (Testosterone, Estrogen, Vit D, Cortisol and many more)
– Critical for digestion
– Supports cell structure and integrity
– Aids in optimal metabolism
– Assists in production of Vit D
Protein & antioxidants
– Reduces appetite/ can help with weight control
– Increases muscle mass and strength
– Lowers blood pressure
– Supports bone health
– Boosts metabolism
– Helps body repair after injury
– Helps maintain fitness as body age
Lutein & Zeaxanthin
– Supports eye health
– Supports skin health
**Note: The list of nutrients and their benefits are not completely exhaustive.
Please pay attention to the highlighted words and appreciate how critical food is to optimal health and well being!
How to eat eggs
Don’t overcook eggs! If overcooked, they lose their beneficial properties.
We all know that eggs are a breakfast staple, so stick to that. But regularly change how you prepare them: hard boiled, scrambled, poached, over-easy, frittatas, etc.
Add other foods to their plate like berries, a few chocolate chips, sausage (my daughter’s favorite), a spoonful of local honey, or a side of diced avocado and salt. Let them pick the spices they want to put on their eggs (for example, garlic, oregano, tarragon, salt, etc.)
When it’s warm outside, occasionally eat outside. Take hard boiled eggs and put them in a bowl to bring outside with you. Prepare a small plate that has different spices to dip eggs in. You will be amazed at how well your kids eat when the environment is relaxed, fun, and a little bit different.
Another reason to eat eggs for breakfast is that it will keep your kids full longer which means less snacking between meals. Notice the difference it makes when kids eat a breakfast with healthy fats instead of sugar and carbs. Eating a breakfast heavy in healthy fats keeps them full longer, stabilizes their mood, nourishes their brain, and gives them loads of energy that lasts until lunch!
Teach your kids that eggs are a SuperHero breakfast because eggs give them the most nutrients that will sustain them to play all day long.
How to buy eggs?
When buying eggs, pasture-raised eggs are the best. Pasture-raised means that the chickens lived on a pasture with room to roam and green grass to eat. Pasture raised eggs are superior to other eggs because they contain significantly more vitamins, minerals and omega-3 fats.
Beware of labels that say cage-free and free-range. It’s worth more investigation.
Cage-free means that a chicken can move freely, to some degree, horizontally and vertically, in an indoor space, but they may not have access to the outdoors and fresh grass. The American Humane Certified program states that cage-free hens have a minimum of 1.25 square feet of floor space plus access to perches and nesting boxes which are likely filled with grains and corn.
Free-range means that in addition to the extra space that comes with the cage-free label, hens can also access some form of the outdoors. However, there is no uniform standard regarding what the outside space looks like and how long they are outside for.
Bottom line: Chickens were meant to roam free and eat grass.
Where to buy eggs?
You will pay more for pasture raised, but know it’s worth it!
The best place to buy eggs is your local farmers market. But make sure that their chickens are pasture raised chickens. (Many eggs you find at the farmers market are still fed a diet that is grain and corn heavy!!)
Whole Foods carries my favorite brand: Vital Farms. Their eggs are 100% pasture raised. You can even watch live videos of the chickens foraging the land on their website. The average price is about $6 per dozen, but sometimes you can get them on sale. That’s about 50 cents for an egg that is packed with vitamins!
Things to remember
Click the image to enlarge and learn more about eggs!
REMEMBER
when the chickens eat better, you eat better!
