Eggs have gotten a bad reputation over the years. They are bashed for cholesterol concerns and fat content, even though they are cost-effective, versatile, tasty and a source of high-quality protein.
According to the website eggnutritioncenter.org, nutrition research suggests that eggs can play a role in muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more.
The Egg Nutrition Center website is run by the American Egg Board, a checkoff marketing organization whose research, education and promotion programs are "all geared to drive demand for eggs and egg products" -- as its mission statement puts it. Under U.S. Agriculture Department supervision, the board collects money from egg producers and uses it to promote egg consumption.
Also, I do understand that there are people who don't like eggs, those who don't eat them for whatever reason and those with egg allergies. The Egg Nutrition Center website estimates that 2 percent of the population under 5 is allergic, but it notes studies suggesting that many outgrow their allergies by late childhood.
I happen to like eggs.
EGG FACTS
• It's thought that wild fowl were domesticated as early as 3200 B.C. Egyptian and Chinese records show that fowl were laying eggs for men in 1400 B.C., and Europe has had domesticated hens since 600 B.C.
• Columbus brought some chickens to the Americas in 1492.
• Nearly 200 breeds and varieties of chicken have been established worldwide, but most laying hens in the United States are one species: Single-Comb White Leghorns.
• Egg selling became profitable in the early 1900s, and farmers began building up flocks that today we'd call "free range."
• In the 1920s, commercial hatcheries started using selective breeding to cultivate healthier flocks, and drugs were developed to combat parasites.
• By the early 1960s, caging, raised floor housing, uniform feeding, automation and mechanical equipment had helped lower cost to the consumer and, according to the industry group, improved hen health, which made the nutrient quality of eggs uniform.
• Today, there are roughly 300 million laying birds in the United States, each of which produce 250 to 300 eggs a year. These eggs are eaten in homes and restaurants and used by food manufacturers in products such as mayonnaise and cake mixes.
• Eggs are considered a nutrient dense food, containing 13 essential vitamins and minerals and 70 calories. They also contain 6 grams of protein and all 9 essential amino acids. They're an excellent source of choline and selenium, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, phosphorus and riboflavin.
• Many people don't eat the yolk, but it contains most of the vitamins and minerals.
• Eggs can be a healthy part of the diabetic diet. A study funded in part by a grant from the Australian Egg Corp. and published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in February 2015 (bit.ly/1O8Sx7j) found that eating two eggs a day six days a week -- considered high consumption -- "did not have an adverse effect on the lipid profile of people with Type 2 diabetes."
The study's authors noted that eggs can provide a feeling of fullness and, along with other high protein foods, could help people have better A1C (blood glucose test) reports. They suggest that higher protein intake can help with weight reduction, help reduce hunger and limit the loss of muscle mass in conjunction with a lower-calorie eating plan.
• Eggs are naturally portion-controlled, low in carbohydrates and portable.
• The egg size and shell color are determined by the breed of hen, and the color of the yolk by the hen's diet or the freshness of the egg. The Egg Board says Americans prefer gold- or lemon-colored yolks.
And if you're lucky you might even find a double or triple yolk egg, which seems like a win all the way around.
Email me at:
rboggs@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 06/05/2017