Eggs—Eat Your Yolks!

Article on Cage-Free Eggs (and pictures of our own chicken coop!)

Eggs are one of God’s most perfect foods. People need to eat more eggs. Eggs are protein-rich, low in sodium, and contain vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggs are inexpensive, delicious, and easy to prepare. Studies have now shown that many people on a low-fat diet can eat one or two eggs a day without measurable changes in their blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat in the diet, not dietary cholesterol, is what influences blood cholesterol levels the most.

I often find that my clients need more eggs as an excellent source of choline, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, magnesium and sulfur. Eggs are also a good source of easy-to-digest protein, iodine, Vitamin B2, molybdenum, phosphorous, Vitamin B5, Vitamin D and Vitamin K.

Eggs Benefit diseases such as: Adrenal exhaustion, Anemia, Blood clots, Brain and nervous system disorders (like Dementia, MS, Parkinson’s, and ALS), Breast cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Digestive disorders, Gallbladder trouble, Macular degeneration, Memory challenges, Osteoporosis, Poor hair/coat, and Skin disorders.

(Note: Please don’t give more than 1-2 raw eggs/week to your pets as raw eggs can affect protein binding.)

But aren’t eggs high in cholesterol? Cholesterol is not a fat. It is a waxy, fat-like substance produced by all animals, including humans. Cholesterol is needed for many bodily functions and serves to insulate nerve fibers, maintain cell walls and produce vitamin D, various hormones and digestive juices. Cholesterol is produced by the liver.

There is a difference between dietary cholesterol (the cholesterol you consume in foods like eggs) and blood cholesterol (the cholesterol in your bloodstream, also called serum cholesterol.)

Dietary cholesterol is present in varying amounts in some foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy products. Dietary cholesterol does not automatically become blood cholesterol when you eat it. Most blood cholesterol is made by your body and varies from body to body.

People get increased blood cholesterol because they are not taking care of their livers. They don’t eat their fruits and vegetables, their gall bladders are backed up, they harbor anger and resentment, and irritate their liver with alcohol, food additives, trans-fats, sugar, and white flour which overwork the liver preventing it from keeping up with detoxification.

Egg Yolk Facts:

• The yolk or yellow portion makes up about 33% of the liquid weight of the egg.

• The yolk contains all of the fat in the egg and a little less than half of the protein.

• With the exception of riboflavin and niacin, the yolk contains a higher proportion of the egg's vitamins than the white.

• All of the egg's vitamins A, D and E are in the yolk.

• Egg yolks are one of the few foods naturally containing vitamin D.

• The yolk also contains more phosphorus, manganese, iron, iodine, copper, and calcium than the white, and it contains all of the zinc.

Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance colors. Artificial color additives are not permitted. Hens fed mashes containing yellow corn and alfalfa meal lay eggs with medium yellow yolks, while those eating wheat or barley yield lighter-colored yolks. A colorless diet, such as white cornmeal produces almost colorless yolks. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance yolk color. Yolk pigments are relatively stable and are not lost or changed in cooking.

Why are home-grown eggs sometimes unwashed? Well, washing removes an egg’s natural antibacterial defense layer. Producers wash eggs with a machine and then dip the eggs in an oil solution to restore this layer. They also have automatic candling systems to check for blood spots and double yolks. These eggs are then filtered out of the process and put into pre-cracked egg mixtures and sold by the 5-gallon bucket. 

Types of Eggs:

Omega Eggs are high in beneficial omega 3 fatty acids and contain less saturated fat than conventional eggs. These eggs are produced by hens fed a patented diet that includes flax seed, algae, vegetables high in omega 3 fats, insects, lots of fresh green grass, fresh and dried fruit, and small amounts of corn. They contain 350 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids compared with 60 milligrams in regular eggs. They are also slightly lower in cholesterol (by 35mg.) Omega 3 fatty acids increase the ratio of good (HDL) to bad (LDL) cholesterol in blood and decrease occurrence of blood clots and arrhythmias, research indicates. Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential component of the human diet and are needed for brain growth and development. They may be helpful in the prevention and treatment of heart disease, high blood pressure, inflammation, mental health disorders, diabetes, digestive disorders and autoimmune diseases.

 “Two Omega Eggs provide the same amount of Omega 3 fatty acids as a 3-ounce serving of salmon,” says the developer of the diet, Sheila Scheideler.

Vitamin-Enhanced Eggs- These eggs contain slightly higher amounts of Vitamin E, folate, lutein, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12, which are added to their growing diet.

Free-range eggs are those from hens who have access to nesting boxes, open floor space, perches and outdoor runs. The eggs from free-range hens contain significantly more folic acid and vitamin B12 and they may have a healthier omega fatty acid ratio than supermarket eggs.

Free run or Cage-free eggs are from hens allowed to roam freely in an enclosed facility. Producers undergo more work because egg safety and quality is more challenging to manage since eggs can come in contact with droppings, dirt, and can be laid in many places making quick egg collection a challenge.

At least there is room to move and the chickens haven’t worn all the feathers off their necks because the cages are too small for all of them to sleep at once. Chickens in these types of pens have to stick their heads out for more room. I saw this during my chicken block in vet school. It made me sick.

See Article on Cage-Free Eggs below.

Low Cholesterol Eggs are achieved by feeding an all-vegetable diet with canola oil as the fat source. A 50% reduction of cholesterol was reported by one company’s ad.

The Low-Down on Salmonella:

With clean, uncracked, fresh eggshells, internal contamination causing Salmonella rarely occurs. It has been estimated that one of every 20,000 eggs might contain the Salmonella bacteria. At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years. That’s not bad. In addition, if you handle the eggs properly, and rotate the eggs so they are always fresh, your chances of getting Salmonella from an egg is even slimmer.

And the Salmonella bacteria would most likely to be in the white. Here, it is unable to grow due to lack of nutrients. As the egg ages, however, the white thins and the yolk membrane weakens. This makes it possible for bacteria to reach the nutrient-dense yolk where they can grow, especially if the egg is kept at warm temperatures. Cooking kills Salmonella.

Salmonellosis is most often associated with animal foods, including chicken, eggs, pork and cheese, but has also been reported in cantaloupe, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, orange juice and cereal. Human carriers play a big role in transmitting some types of Salmonellosis, so Salmonella bacteria can easily spread from one food to another.

What are the symptoms of Salmonellosis? Signs of Salmonellosis include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and/or headache within 6 to 72 hours after eating. The symptoms usually last only a day or two in healthy people but can lead to serious complications for young children, pregnant women, elderly people and the ill whose immune systems are very weak.

Anyone who has had Salmonellosis may pass along the bacteria through the feces, sometimes up to one year in atypical cases, but usually for at least several weeks after recovering.  Salmonellosis is seldom fatal, and we have a couple of awesome homeopathic remedies to combat that disease.

Nutritional Value of Eggs:

Whole eggs offer almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans, with the exception of vitamin C.

A large egg has 215 mg of cholesterol, but only contains 4.5 grams of total fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 75 calories—59 of which are in the yolk. That’s good news for all you people who have multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and dementia who should be on an extremely effective, low-fat diet like the Swank diet.

The egg yolk contains 45% of the egg's protein, numerous minerals, and the majority of the egg's vitamins.  

Eggs have a full complement of nicely balanced amino acids which we use in every cell of our body.

Eggs contain lecithin, choline, Vitamin A to supports the immune system and skin, Vitamin D and polyunsaturated oils which help utilize calcium and helps to draw it into the bones, Vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant, Vitamin B12 that helps build healthy blood cells, Folic acid to support the nervous system, inosital for brain sugar, niacin and other B Vitamins to thin the blood and support adrenal function. Most of us could use that extra adrenal support!

Egg Allergies:

Although most outgrow it, a common cause of food allergy in infants and young children is the egg. Food allergies are abnormal responses of the body’s immune system to certain foods or ingredients. Food allergies can show up as: acne, anaphylactic shock, asthma, bed-wetting, bladder infections, bursitis, chronic gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, diarrhea, ear infections, eczema, fatigue, headache, hives, hyperactivity, insomnia, joint pain, migraine, nasal congestion, nausea, rashes, sinusitis, and skin rash.

People with food allergies usually need to eliminate the problem foods from their diet.

Why Eat Organic?

Organically raised, free-range animal products contain less antibiotic and hormone residue and have a higher omega-3 and Vitamin E content. The eggs are laid by happy birds. That means more love goes into the egg, giving it superior nutritional value and a high vibration which makes your body happier. They also taste better.

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Cage-Free Eggs?

Sally Ryan wrote an interesting article about cage-free eggs for the New York Times on August 12, 2007

Most people think that chickens living in a cage-free environment enjoy a happy, healthy, stress-free life. Well, maybe they do and maybe they don’t. The eggs cost an extra 60 cents/dozen. The housing for the chickens costs 3 1/2 times more than the older cage systems. But which is better?  In a battery cage, the area allotted to each chicken is about the size of a laptop computer. Opponents say that in such small spaces, chickens cannot stretch their wings, roost or engage in other natural behaviors. The Humane Society of the United States began a campaign against battery cages in 2005, pressuring egg producers to improve conditions and companies to change their policies.

This is a good example of knowing where your food comes from.

Big businesses like Omni hotel, Google, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and Whole Foods supermarket are increasing the demand for cage-free eggs and there are not enough of them to go around. When these things happen, shortcuts are taken and rules are only loosely organized and adhered to. It’s not such a good thing.

The cage-free birds below are stressed, crowded, have more disease and will cannibalize each other if given the chance. Its one reason why sick birds will do everything they can not to let other birds know they are having problems. What a brutal death being cannibalized! The Humane Society of the United States is promoting more humane housing for our food animals. I don’t really think they understand the ramifications here.

Ahh the good life? Yikes!

Picture take by Sally Ryan of the New York Times

Of course you could build your own deluxe pen like we have--and pay about $10/egg!

I guess there’s a balance.

Helpful links for local eating:

• http://www.localharvest.org/

• http://www.eatwellguide.org/

Page Last Edited 08/22/08