Submitted by spage on Thu, 02/26/2009 - 13:08
Dr. Cherry,
Do you recommend eating eggs vs. egg whites? Is one better than the other? Also, how often can one eat regular eggs without it affecting their cholesterol?
Thanks!
Eggs have gotten a bad reputation for no real reason.
Eggs are an excellent nutrient-dense food that packs six grams of protein, a bit of vitamin B-12, vitamin E, riboflavin, folic acid, calcium, zinc, iron, and essential fatty acids into a mere 75 calories.
While eggs do contain a high amount of dietary cholesterol, that is not the type of cholesterol normally associated with heart disease.
In fact, cholesterol obtained from food serves many important functions in your body: It's involved in the manufacture of vitamin D, aids in the digestion of fatty foods (by helping to form bile) and assists in the production of certain hormones.
Studies show that for most people who do not already have high cholesterol or who are not particularly sensitive to dietary cholesterol, consuming an egg a day does not significantly elevate serum cholesterol. Most nutrition experts suggest that one egg three times a week can be part of a healthful diet.
Egg whites are a good non-fat - no cholesterol way to get some protein. Try an egg white omelet with some cheese and tomatoes!