No Need to Fear the Yolk!
Are eggs all they’re cracked up to be?
Popular myth says eggs are to be avoided – or, at least, the yolk is.
Perhaps you have switched over to egg whites in a carton, thinking that whites have all the nutrition yet none of the fat and cholesterol, or do they?
Cholesterol is, for sure, something to be mindful about. Studies show high cholesterol can contribute to strokes and heart disease. But eggs yolks provide high density lipids (that is, good cholesterol) which help lower your low density lipids (bad cholesterol).
The biggest holders of bad cholesterol are foods high in saturated fats and/or trans fats. So avoiding onion rings, fried chicken, and other deep-fried foods? Good thinking! But avoiding the high-protein, nutrient-dense egg yolk? Not the best idea.
Are you worried about the yolk’s reputation for fat? There’s nothing to fear! Keep in mind that in addition to supplying energy, the fat in eggs aids in the absorption of vitamins and keeps you feeling full for longer. One egg has fewer than 5 grams of fat
Saturated and trans fats contribute to an increase in bad cholesterol in the body, yet more than half the fat found in the egg yolk is healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat which help protect your heart by keeping your cholesterol in a normal range, and stabilizes your blood sugar reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes. This leaves less than 2 g of saturated fat. Current dietary recommendations are that people get 30% of their daily fat from saturated, 30% from polyunsaturated and 30% from monounsaturated sources
If you’re still concerned that an egg yolk has a slightly higher fat and cholesterol content than a few other foods, it’s important to remember that an egg also contains more vitamins and vital fatty acids per calories than effectually every other food,* with that nice added protein boost. It truly is a superfood.
Take a look at the difference in nutrient value between egg whites and yolks.
A single egg provides:
| Nutrient | Egg White | Egg Yolk | % Total in Egg White | % Total in Egg Yolk |
| Protein | 3.6 g | 2.7g | 57% | 43% |
| Fat | 0.05g | 4.5g | 1% | 99% |
| Calcium | 2.3 mg | 21.9 mg | 9.5% | 90.5% |
| Magnesium | 3.6 mg | 0.85 mg | 80.8% | 19.2% |
| Iron | 0.03 mg | 0.4 mg | 6.2% | 93.8% |
| Phosphorus | 5 mg | 66.3 mg | 7% | 93% |
| Potassium | 53.8 mg | 18.5 mg | 74.4% | 25.6% |
| Sodium | 54.8 mg | 8.2 mg | 87% | 13% |
| Zinc | 0.01 mg | 0.4 mg | 0.2% | 99.8% |
| Copper | 0.008 mg | 0.013 mg | 38% | 62% |
| Manganese | 0.004 mg | 0.009 mg | 30.8% | 69.2% |
| Selenium | 6.6 mcg | 9.5 mcg | 41% | 59% |
| Thiamin | 0.01 mg | 0.03 mg | 3.2% | 96.8% |
| Riboflavin | 0.145 mg | 0.09 mg | 61.7% | 48.3% |
| Niacin | 0.035 mg | 0.004 mg | 89.7% | 9.3% |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.63 mg | 0.51 mg | 11% | 89% |
| B6 | 0.002 mg | 0.059 mg | 3.3% | 96.7% |
| Folate | 1.3 mcg | 24.8 mcg | 5% | 95% |
| B12 | 0.03 mcg | 0.331 mcg | 8.3% | 91.7% |
| Vitamin A | 0 IU | 245 IU | 0% | 100% |
| Vitamin E | 0 mg | 0.684 mg | 0% | 100% |
| Vitamin D | 0 IU | 18.3 IU | 0% | 100% |
| Vitamin K | 0 IU | 0.119 IU | 0% | 100% |
| DHA and AA | 0 | 94 mg | 0% | 100% |
| Carotenoids | 0 mcg | 21 mcg | 0% | 100% |
You’ll notice for most of the nutrients, the value is much higher in the yolk than the white. Eggs yolks even provide disease-fighting antioxidants, Lutein and Zeaxanthin. These carotenoids may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults.* and are a great source for Choline, the nutrient your body requires to break down fat for energy. If you’re buying pastured or Omega-3 enriched eggs, you’re gaining even more nutrients from them.
Those cholesterol and fat-filled killers are starting to sound a lot more like a multivitamin, huh?
And when the majority of Americans are suffering from magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, and vitamins A, E, B6 deficiencies, this is no time to be skipping out on the yolk.***
If you’re throwing out the yolks, you’re throwing out over half the vitamins – skip the yolk, split the nutrition.
With all that in mind, it’s important to remember that egg whites, while nutritionally valuable, don’t have nearly the flavor of the yolk. And while you can season egg white omelets and other egg-centric dishes to make up for the lack of the yolk, most recipes requiring eggs really do require the whole thing. It’s hard to eat right when your meal tastes bland or is falling apart without the yolk to add the perfect texture . It truly is the pièce de résistance in any dish!
For a simple crust-less quiche using the goodness of eggs, check out the recipes page.
Ready to renew your enjoyment of the egg? Contact me and we’ll work together to figure out a simple, easy plan to get your body utilizing that nutrient-filled yolk the way it should be!
Look Good. Feel Good. Live Better!
Stacia
*http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/saturated_fat/Eggs.php
** http://www.webmd.com/diet/good-eggs-for-nutrition-theyre-hard-to-beat
***http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Egg_Yolk.html
