In Defense of Eggs

I’m sure you have been told that eggs high cholesterol content will cause heart disease… My question is “How true is this?” An egg has about 187 mg of cholesterol in it, but is it a risk factor for heart disease? Let’s talk about where cholesterol comes from… 85 percent of the cholesterol is secreted by the liver, and 15 percent of cholesterol can be retrieved by the diet. Cholesterol is actually a precursor for secreting vitamin D (hormone D), bile, acids for food breakdown, and acts as a nourishing agent for the myelin sheath and the rest of the brain. The neurons and bodily cells all have a phospholipid bi-layer, which transports materials in and out of the cells, and it is composed entirely of cholesterol…. Our brain is about 60% fat, and its fat derivatives are mostly cholesterol. If someone calls you a fat head, take it as a gracious compliment! Let’s find out more about eggs….

Cells have a very complex structure, and the right type of fat and cholesterol will nourish cells and help them perform their very vital functions. Eggs contain many nutrients that will give the body everything it needs to survive. Eggs contain all the essential amino acids needed to sustain good health. Such amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine. They even contain carotenoids like lutein, zeaxanthin. Knowing this fact, eggs also have a high vitamin content.Vitamin A downregulates at a genetic level, immune stimulant improves cell differentiation process, helps with cell to cell communication. Vitamin A is a common deficiency in which 500,000 people each year go permanently blind because of clinical vitamin deficiency. Adequate intake of foods like pastured eggs and vegetables can alleviate eye conditions caused by Vitamin A deficiency. Eggs are also rich in choline, which acts as an emulsifier, which helps assist in fat digestion,  reduces cellulite, decongests the liver, and improving nervous system health. Like cholesterol, choline also acts as a building block for essential hormones in our body.

The composition of a whole egg is described as having two parts the white and the yolk. The white part is approximately 85% water and 13% which contains the essential vitamins and minerals. The yolk part contains about 50% water, 33% fat and 17% protein and it also contains both the vitamins and minerals as well. Eggs also provide trace minerals like selenium, calcium, iodine, etc. Iodine is also one of the key factors for thyroid function. With this essential mineral, the thyroid can assist in proper heart rate, muscle strength, body temperature, nourishing agents for the nervous system. Also, proper cellular functions are needed by the right fats, like Omega 3s. Eggs are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which provide food for cells. Brain cells are particularly in need for essential fatty acids to prevent brain fog, anxiety, depression, outbursts of anger, etc. This is a key nutrient lacking in many people in our toxic world.

Understandably, the standard American diet has caused Americans to skyrocket in many illnesses. Some of them being heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypo, and hyperthyroidism. Food has been made obsolete by the factory farming companies and their manufacturing methods. The issue is that we started eating hydrogenated vegetable oils, dairy foods, caged-diseased meat, and eggs, carbonated sugary beverages, and adopting unhealthy lifestyle factors like smoking, overworking, being exposed to environmental toxins, etc. It is no wonder our healthcare system is failing, we are managed with drugs, surgery, radiation, and not cured with the right medicines. The right diet and a dearth of synthetic matter like vaccine ingredients, chemicals, drugs, non-GMO foods are key to maintaining health. Please note that eggs must be cooked at low temperatures, they can either be boiled or poached for optimal quality.

The story of Emma Morano is fascinating because she is the oldest living woman in the world today. She is currently 117 years of age, and she ate very few fruits and vegetables and consumed mostly whole eggs. Eggs are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids which will reduce the risk of heart disease and regulate cholesterol. Eggs have fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are so hard to come by in the modern world due to processing. Factory farmed eggs will be nearly stripped of all their nutrients than grass fed- pasture raised eggs… Let’s not forget, chickens are placed in deplorable environments physically and mentally, but they are exposed to Salmonella which causes food poisoning in people. Please remember that one cannot compare the deplorable conditions of factory farmed chickens to free range-cage-free chickens, this means healthy animal equals healthy egg. Here are some differences in nutritional factors that distinguish regular factory farmed eggs from Grass-Fed Pasture Eggs…

Added Benefits of  Grass-fed pasture eggs vs. Standard egg

10% more protein
20% more iron
72% more vitamin A
211% more of the vision-sharpening carotenoids called lutein and zeaxanthin
319% more healthy omega-3s
1,664% more calcium

I highly encourage you to check out the Northern Manhattan Study. This study states that higher LDL cholesterol had no opposite reaction or led as a precursor to heart disease. Statin drugs are usually prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. Crestor and Lipitor are among the most commonly prescribed among them. Statins also dramatically inhibit cholesterol’s vital roles like its ability to produce hormone D, bile, and acids, it can also damage neurons. Also, statins will also deplete the body of Coenzyme 10. Depletion of said enzyme can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, and heart failure. So much for the medical profession helping to ease this epidemic… Heart Disease is one of the leading killers of our nation which could have been easily treated by diet and lifestyle changes. Plant-based diets seem to be the most credible solution, but I firmly believe pasture eggs should be incorporated into any diet. Good quality eggs will reduce precursors for inflammation, free radical damage, and oxidative stress.

In order to check for markers of inflammation and oxidation, we must check our homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is needed for functions can be converted into a molecule that is either harmless or dangerous. Homocysteine needs the amino acid methionine to sustain the harmful process. Excess methionine can cause homocysteine to damage blood vessels and cause cells to clot abnormally. Homocysteine tests are one of the best determinants of heart disease and stroke risk. Methionine’s main function is to provide methyl groups for cellular reactions. “A methyl group is a chemical fragment consisting of one carbon and three hydrogen atoms.” Dr. Weil talks on his website “When methionine donates a methyl group for a cellular reaction, it becomes homocysteine.” A high vitamin B intake, in general, will ease this problem, and an egg has a nutrient dense profile A. High intake Fruits, vegetables, grains, and eggs are a great source of Vitamin B6, which is a great metabolic utilizing agent for the heart. Intake of Vitamin B6 can prevent methionine from forming homocysteine as a harmful agent to our body.

With all of this being said, “Do Eggs Cause a rise in arterial plaque formation?” The answer is no. Eggs generally have a dense nutrient profile. The problem is, American chickens are left in deplorable conditions where they are placed in enclosed spaces. They are fed an improper diet and are physically abused and left in a state of trauma. Eggs and cholesterol from what evidence shows are excellent for human health and their link between cardiovascular disease are unclear and not justified. It is encouraged that everyone should eat their fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds along with eggs to maintain the best health. Cholesterol has long been demonized with it’s an ink to heart disease when it is sugar and synthetic chemicals and manufacturing methods that are the biggest demons that stop us from maintaining our best health. With that being said Eggs are very nutritious for your body, so make sure you get free-range, eggs from healthy chickens.

Citation

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In Defense of Eggs