7 Reasons Eggs are Awesome
Sure, eggs look prettier painted pink or yellow with adorable little flower drawings, dots and swirls in celebration of Easter, but they’re pretty awesome for some other reasons too. My favorite reason? They’re total nutrition powerhouses—both their yellow and white parts! So after the egg hunts are over, enjoy a hearty, egg-rich meal for these important reasons.
They help boost your fertility
Yep! Egg yolks are high in vitamin D, which has been shown to increase fertility in men and women (shout out to April being fertility awareness month!). Additionally, vitamin D is known for boosting two main female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which both help keep menstrual cycles regular.
They lower your risk of heart disease
Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 610,000 people are killed by heart disease every year—that’s 1 in 4 deaths! In other words, eating for heart health is no joke. Eggs are a great place to start, thanks to their high omega-3 fatty acids content. This good fat helps lower blood triglycerides and keeps cholesterol levels down.
They improve your eye health
Carrots might take all the credit for improving vision, but the incredible, edible egg is also chock-full of eye-friendly nutrients. More specifically, egg yolks contain a type of carotenoid called lutein, which helps fight macular degeneration (AKA the leading cause of blindness). While you can get a hefty dose of lutein from other sources, including leafy greens like spinach, kale, broccoli and zucchini, research has shown that the body is more able to absorb the lutein when it’s consumed from eggs.
They help you maintain (or even lose) weight
Again we have lutein to thank for this perk. One study published by the University of South Australia found that consuming lutein-containing foods, including eggs and vegetables, was associated with higher levels of physical activity. In other words, eating eggs may help you get moving. In addition, eating a high-protein diet, such as one that contains eggs, has been shown to boost metabolism levels and promote a greater degree of weight loss than high-carb, low-fat diets.
They give you lasting energy
This is why eggs make the perfect breakfast food. There’s no better meal to start your day with than hearty eggs. In fact, one study by the Department of Psychology at Saint Louis University in Missouri found that overweight women who ate eggs instead of bagels for breakfast experienced increased fullness and consumed fewer calories over the following 36 hours. A similar study on men showed the same results. These results make sense because eggs suppress the body’s hunger hormone, ghrelin, while also stabilizing blood glucose and insulin levels.
They’re total brain boosters
It’s all thanks to choline, which eggs have plenty of. Choline is a macronutrient that our body only produces in very small amounts, but it helps with liver and brain function. This means we must rely on the food in our diet to get our fair share. One sign of choline deficiency is liver disease, so eat up those eggs to put up your best defense!
They’re great for skin health
There’s no better time of year to make sure your skin is in tip-top shape. Remember that sunlight can cause damage to the skin, even when you wear your SPF, and can cause scarring on any blemishes that may be present. Eating a diet rich in eggs can slow down the oxidative damage from UV rays. Additionally, the nutrients in eggs can help lower your chance of skin cancer.
So this Easter, don’t limit your egg fun to painting—serve them up!