How Many Eggs Should You Be Eating?

One of the diets I skimmed through today is called “The Simple Pescatarian Diet” which adheres to some solid health principles, such as eating lots of fish, fresh fruit and dairy (mercury levels and lactose intolerance aside) but I feel its overuse of eggs is a tad questionable. The regimen advises the dieter to eat 6-7 scrambled eggs during the week, which led me to today’s blog question: how many eggs should you be eating?

Eggs sometimes get a bad rap because of their high cholesterol levels (which is only contained in the yolk, measuring at 215 mg, while the recommended daily limit is 300 mg), but in moderation, they are actually an amazing food.  They do contain B vitamins and are a healthy source of protein since they contain all 9 essential amino acids. They are also high in choline, which can help prevent breast cancer.  Eggs have been shown to also help prevent macular degeneration because of their high lutein content. The American Heart Association recommends eating 3-4 eggs a week. But eggs are a hidden ingredient in many foods, such as pastries, certain breads, muffins and other baked goods.  Our nation is one where high cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease, is a problem for many people. Every 34 seconds, somebody in America will die from heart disease [1] and I know my readers have no plans of becoming part of a statistic.

So what should you do about the conundrum to eat or not eat eggs? The answer, like most things when it comes to food, is moderation and balance. There are other ways to reduce your cholesterol too, such as cooking eggs in the smallest amount of olive and/or canola oils. Better yet, go poached or hard boiled, and get rid of the oil altogether. How many eggs do you normally eat a week? Leave a comment below.

Sources:

[1] http://www.mamashealth.com/Heart_stat.asp