Superfoods

Get Cracking: 8 Health Secrets Contained in Eggs

Emily Lockhart

As far as compact super foods go, eggs take the whole omelette.

1. The Perfect Protein

Did you know that many nutritionists consider the egg a perfect source of protein? Consider that a single, whole egg contains, on average, 6-grams of protein—that’s including all 9 essential amino acids that the body can’t produce on it’s own—such as Tryptophan, Leucine, Histidine, Lysine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Methionine, and Valine.

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2. Luxurious Locks

Have you ever wondered where your coworker gets that glowing skin and hair? He or she probably eats eggs regularly. Eggs are rich in sulphur minerals and B12 vitamins, which encourage hair growth promote healthy hair and strong nails.

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3. Get Cracking for Heart Health

A Harvard School of Public Health study found that weekly egg consumption may help prevent both heart attack and stroke, or more specifically stop the formation of blood clots.

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4. Yolks = Good Fats

Nutritionists who once cautioned against the consumption of egg yolks because of the fat content are reconsidering their claims. While egg yolks contain only fraction of saturated (or bad fats = 1.5 grams); they make up for it in good fats (3.5 grams), which doesn’t promote high bad (or lipid) cholesterol.

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5. Lower Breast Cancer Risk

You may be more likely to link eggs to ovarian health. However, regular ovule consumption was liked to decreased risk breast cancer by almost 24-percent in a study funded by the US National Institutes of Health (or NIH).

6. Boost Vision

You might want to eat eggs along with those carrots if you’re concerned about eye health. It turns out that the nutrients (lutein and zeaxanthin) found in eggs help to prevent cataracts, macular degeneration, and other forms of eye deterioration.

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7. A Dose of Sunshine Vitamin

If you miss the feeling of sunshine on your skin or suffer from seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) in the gloomier months, eating eggs regularly may help. How? Eggs are one of the few food sources of naturally-occurring vitamin D (aka: the sunshine vitamin).

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8. Brain Food

Skip the popcorn and nachos next time you hunker down for a study session. If you reach for a hardboiled egg instead, you’ll reap the benefits of real brain food that contains choline (about 300-micrograms per egg) and a nutrient that stabilizes both the central nervous system and the brain.