Are Eggs Good for You?

Offering a multitude of minerals, antioxidants, and a good dose of protein, eggs are the small white superfoods worthy of the title of “nature’s multivitamin”. In fact, eggs offer so much protein that the U.S. Department of Agriculture actually categorised them as meat products alongside beef, chicken, and pork in the ‘90s.

Whether they’re poached, pickled, fried, boiled, or scrambled, eggs are an inexpensive and delicious way to top up your diet with nutrients. With one large egg containing 5 grams of fat, just 77 calories, and 6 grams of high-quality protein – or one fifth of what you would find in a 100g chicken breast - they’re also a wise choice for those looking to lose weight but still keep their diet laden with tasty ingredients.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggs?

Thanks to their metabolism-boosting qualities, eggs increase your feeling of fullness and consuming an egg-centric breakfast can reduce the likelihood of snacking throughout the day. As such, eggs are a natural supplement for those looking to reduce their calory intake without depriving their appetite.

An easy way to fill yourself up in the morning is with an herb omelette served with fried tomato. This breakfast idea doesn’t take more than 10 minutes from preparing it to eating it, and there will be enough here to feed two people.

Herb and fried tomato omelet

• 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tomatoes, chopped in half
• 1 tablespoon of parsley, chopped up
• 1 tablespoon of basil, chopped up

First of all, drizzle your oil into a non-stick frying pan and warm up over medium heat. Then take your halved tomatoes and cook them face-down for a few minutes until they begin to soften. While this is happening, beat your eggs in a mixing bowl with the chopped herbs; for extra kick, and for some added antioxidants, feel free to add plenty of ground black pepper.

Next up, remove your tomato halves from the pan and place them on the plates you are going to eat off. Now pour your beaten eggs and herbs into the pan and gently stir with a wooden spoon, allowing all of the egg to completely fill the pan. Let this cook for about 15 minutes before carving a line through the middle with your wooden spoon. Tilt the pan very gently to allow that carved line to fill with runny egg, leaving to cook for another 2 minutes.

Gently fold this in half and serve beside your fried tomatoes, for a thick, fluffy omelet that has a strong taste / health ratio, being naturally high in both. With just 204 calories per serving, and only 0.5g of salt, this peppery dish can be customized with as many extra vegetables as you like, such as mushrooms and bell peppers, and even some diced ham for a little added saltiness and protein.

Eggs are good for your heart

Of the many health benefits of eating eggs, you’ll find substances that aid healthy eyesight (the antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein); immune system functions (vitamin D, which regulates the levels of phosphate in the body for healthy bones); and choline, which promotes more efficient nervous system activity for healthy respiration and a stable heartrate.

Of course, one of the most important ways to look after your heart is through healthy weight loss. Excessive intake of fatty foods not only affects your overall levels of fitness, but also your heart and blood pressure as the walls of your arteries become clogged with cholesterol.

Good weight loss practice won’t necessarily diminish the volume of calories consumed each day but will focus significantly on the quality of what is being consumed. A useful way of keeping the weight off, while keeping the body energised, is with a focus on ‘good’ calories from nutrient-laden foods – and for this, eggs are ideal.

Boiled eggs: high protein, low calories

A healthy, super low-fat lunch idea can be as easy as just two hard-boiled eggs and a cup of vegetables, giving you a reasonably filling serving of food at just 274 calories. You could add to this with some slices of toast for some added sustenance, and a low-calory, high-energy option would be this multigrain bread speckled with oats, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds, which variously offer omega-3s, protein, and zinc.

This healthy, textured bread would do a great job of supporting the creaminess of a fried egg when toasted, but it’s worth keeping in mind that cooking eggs on an oil- or butter-greased pan can quickly increase the calory count of your meals. For instance, just one tablespoon of olive oil will add an extra 120 calories to your breakfast if you fry your eggs with it.   

What are humane raised eggs?

It probably won't surprise you to learn that the healthiest eggs are from chickens that are "happy," which are allowed to roam around and feed on their natural diets. One brand leading the way in nutrient-rich and humane raised eggs is Happy Eggs. Be sure to check them out if you want delicious, 100% pastured eggs. 

Is it okay to eat eggs every day?

Though eggs do contain notable levels of cholesterol, with medium-sized eggs containing 186mg (or 62% of your daily recommended intake), a side effect of eating them is that the body’s levels of high-density lipoprotein – the ‘good’ cholesterol – will see a moderate uptick.

Moreover, thanks to their high concentration of omega-3, eggs work to lower the density of blood triglycerides, which are a form of fat in the blood which can contribute to the risk of heart disease. So there are more health benefits to eating eggs than not, though if you are concerned about your cholesterol intake you can just eat the egg whites as they are rich in protein and contain less cholesterol than the yolk.

So yes, eggs are good for you! Loaded with minerals and delicious in sandwiches, why not try something a little more adventurous for lunch than just frying your eggs? Try out our suggested omelette recipe but think of what else you can put in there, such as zinc-rich spinach or red onion.