7 Powerful Health Benefits of Eggs

By Marijke Vroomen Durning, RN

Yes, eggs are good for you.

Eggs have gotten some bad press over the years. In 1968, the American Heart Association told us to eat no more than three eggs per week because eggs may cause or worsen heart disease. Years later, we were told to go ahead and eat eggs in moderation because their health benefits outweighed any risks. Learn about the health benefits of eating eggs, and how eggs can affect your overall health and appearance.

1. Your bones and muscles will get stronger.

Just one whole egg at breakfast gives you 6 grams of protein in your diet. Protein is an essential building block for your body’s tissues, including muscles, bones, nails, skin and hair. Every cell in your body has protein in it. Not only does protein help build your body’s tissues, it helps repair them when they are damaged. The recommended daily amount of protein varies according to lifestyle, age and overall health, but generally, healthy adults should get about 7 grams of protein for every 20 pounds they weigh. Six grams from an egg is a good start to your day.

2. You might lose weight.

Although just one egg packs a powerful nutrition punch, it has only 70 calories. (Any extra calories are the result of how you prepare the egg.) So, if you’re keeping track of your daily calories, one egg can get your day started without making too big a dent in your intake for the day. A hard-boiled egg also makes a great mid-morning or afternoon snack, to give you enough energy to power through the rest of the day without the regret you might feel after eating that vending machine chocolate bar.

3. The vitamins in an egg have benefits from head to toe.

Vitamins are essential micronutrients that your body needs to function. Eggs contain a generous amount of vitamin A, for your skin and eye health; vitamin D, for strong bones and teeth; vitamin E, which is an antioxidant; and vitamin B₁₂, which helps keep your blood cells and nerves healthy. It’s believed vitamin B₁₂ can help protect against some forms of heart disease.

4. You might slow down aging and improve vision.

Eggs contain the antioxidants selenium, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Scientists aren’t exactly sure what antioxidants do, but many believe they protect the body from unstable atoms that can damage cells and speed up the aging process. Antioxidants may also help boost eye health, possibly delaying or stopping the onset or progression of cataracts and macular degeneration.

5. Your heart may get protection from omega-3 fats.

Eggs labeled with “omega-3” contain omega-3 fats that are considered to be heart healthy. Omega-3 is not in all eggs, but in those that come from hens that consume flaxseed as part of their diet. The cartons that contain omega-3 eggs are clearly marked. Omega-3 fats may help reduce the risk of macular degeneration. There are theories that omega-3 fats improve brain health, although this is yet to be proven. Other benefits of omega-3 fats include improving your heart health and fighting inflammation in your body.

6. Your “good” cholesterol may go up.

For years we were told to avoid eggs because they had cholesterol in them, but researchers found that eggs can actually increase your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is considered the good cholesterol. It helps absorb other types of cholesterol in your blood. Of course, how you prepare your egg does make a difference. If you fry your egg in butter or make an omelet with fatty foods added, the egg won’t be as cholesterol-healthy as it would if you had a hard-boiled egg or a fried egg cooked in a non-stick skillet.

7. Moderation is key when eating eggs.

There is no specific recommended number of eggs for a healthy diet. If you are concerned about eating too many, you could eat just the whites, and you can use them in cooking and baking. The yolk contains all the nutrients, but the white does have 4 grams of protein, which still makes it healthy. And remember to be careful about preparation. The nutritional value of eggs coated in salt and fried in a lot of butter will be different from scrambled eggs with skim milk and a touch of salt. If you have any medical concerns, ask your doctor if you should restrict your consumption.