EGGS
Eggs are a very nutritious food, but like anything in life, moderation is needed to enjoy its health benefits.
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WHAT'S IN AN EGG?
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An egg is made up of the egg white and the egg yolk. It's pretty easy to separate the two, you just need to do it carefully so you don't break the egg yolk.
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The egg white contains Albumin and other proteins along with water, and is a good soruce of protein. A single egg white contains 3-4 gm of protein.
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The protein from egg white is also highly bioavailable, meaning your body will use a large portion of the egg white protein you ingest.
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The yolk contains fats and protein. A medium-sized egg will have a yolk that contains 4-5 gm of fat, and 2-3 gm of protein.
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IS THE FAT HEALTHY?
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Approximately a third of the fat comes from saturated fats, which is the kind that you should be trying to limit in your diet.
A diet high in saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease, so watching the number of egg yolks you eat daily is a good idea.
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A large egg yolk can contain 180mg of cholesterol, which is more than half the recommended daily cholesterol intake. If you have problems with high cholesterol, you shouldn't be eating too many egg yolks in a day.
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However, the rest of the yolk is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which is good for you. These fatty acids help you to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, and keep your heart healthy.
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HOW MANY EGGS A DAY?
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Given the cholesterol levels in egg yolks, it would be prudent to limit your daily intake of eggs.
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It should be alright to take just one egg yolk a day, but if you have heart problems, or high blood cholesterol or fat levels, you should reduce this to one egg yolk every other day (maybe 3 days in the week).
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I say egg yolk because you can go ahead and eat a few egg whites daily, since there isn't any saturated fat or cholesterol in the egg white.
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Some athletes may eat a few eggs a day to keep up with the metabolic demands of their intense exercise routines, but normal people who exercise and train recreationally should consider limiting the number of eggs they eat.
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FREE-RANGE EGGS?
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Free-range eggs come from hens that are allowed to roam in a field and graze, compared to caged eggs, which come from hens kept in cages in an egg-laying factory.
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Nutrition-wise, there have been some reports that indicate that free-range eggs may be healthier because the eggs contain higher amounts of Beta-carotene (important for good vision) and Omega-3 fatty acids (keeps your heart healthy).
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However, they do cost quite a bit more than caged eggs, so not everyone may be willing to fork out the extra money for free-range eggs.
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Ethics-wise, free-range chickens lead lives that are a lot better and kinder to them, so if animal cruelty is a concern for you, you may prefer to spend a bit more and buy free-range eggs instead.
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HAS MY EGG GONE BAD?
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Eating an egg that's gone off can cause food poisoning, and leave you stuck in the toilet.
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A common method of telling if an egg is rotten is to stick it in a big bowl of water. If it floats, it's gone off, and you'd better throw it away, but if it sinks and stays down, it's fresh and can be used. This is because as the egg rots, some air accumulates in it, and makes it float in water.
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Apart from that, an egg that's gone bad will smell bad. If it smells funky, don't eat it!
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WRAP IT UP!
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Eggs are a very nutritious food, but you should enjoy them in moderation. Stick with one egg 3 times a week, and you'll be able to enjoy its health benefits without increasing your saturated fat and cholesterol intake too much!
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