I grew up in one of the best and most loving families the world can boast of and chicken and eggs were an almost daily feature thanks to our poultry business. Eggs received a great deal of bashing in those “good old days”; do we really believe those days were better than now? Poultry f
Eggs! The never ending debate.
Are eggs healthy or an absolute NO-NO?
In my view as a Dietitian, Eggs are nutritious and SAFE TO EAT. It is a good and affordable source of protein especially in this part of the world where protein options can sometimes be a “luxury”. Having an egg as part of your meals is never a Healthy-Eating-Abomination.
The main concern with regard to eggs are its high dietary cholesterol levels. Can an average adult consume eggs without fear? Can a diabetic eat eggs? How many eggs can one eat in a day? These are all very valid questions but unfortunately there aren’t simple answers to them. Other individual factors of the consumer must be considered before a healthy recommendation can be given.
Here are 3 simple questions to help you make healthy egg choices. Different strokes for different folks.
1. How is Your General Lifestyle?
Do you consider yourself as healthy or not?
- Family history: Do medical conditions such as Stroke and hypertension run in your family?
- Last Medical Checks: Do you rarely go to the hospital? The last time you had a blood test done was more than a year ago?
- Habits: Do you frequently consume alcohol? Are you a smoker?
If you answered YES to most of these questions then you need to be cautious of your egg intake. Simply because your lifestyle has made you prone to the other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. And an excessive intake of eggs can easily cause more harm than good in your body.
2. What Are Your Healthy Eating Goals & Your Current Fitness Level?
- Goals– What exactly are you trying to achieve with healthy eating? Weight loss? Weight gain? Improved cardiovascular health?
- Fitness level– How active are you during the day? Are you a sedentary worker? No exercise at all? Short exercises? Consistent training? How often in a week are you exercising?
These are very important factors to consider. If your goal is weight loss then you need to look at low calories cooking methods to use for your eggs such as boiling, poaching etc. If healthy weight gain is your goal then you should focus on adding more egg whites to your egg meal.
Your level of activity will greatly help achieve your goal and metabolize the eggs you intend consuming. Consistent exercise is ideal, even if you can only spare 5mins daily. If you are not exercising at all then be very cautious of your egg intake, take it sparingly and also make efforts to keep your other diets in check for general well-being.
3. How Are You Consuming The Egg?
This is the ultimate make or break of a healthy egg diet. As healthy as they may be, your preparation method can add extra calories and saturated/trans fat to your eggs….making the egg a health risk.
- Boiled Egg– This is a preferred and the healthiest cooking method. All nutrients are still intact and it has no added calories or fats. This can be used for your rice dishes or Healthy green salads.
- Fried – This adds up to the calorie content of the egg. For a person on a controlled weight loss plan, this may not be the best. Scramble the egg rather than frying it the Ghana style. Avoid using margarine to fry your eggs.
- Adding to shakes– Cracking raw eggs into shakes can have its health and safety implications. This practice can expose the person to food related bacterial infections. Be very cautious of this practice.
- Quantity– Still maintain 1 whole egg a day. If this is not enough for you, then go in for additional egg whites.
In summary, Eggs can be a healthy food choice especially if you limit your daily consumption of other foods high in saturated fats and trans fats.
If you need further assistance on managing your diet and eating healthy, simply sign up for a personalized meal planor Speak to A Licensed Dietitian for Dietary Guidance based on your body composition and medical history.
Written by: Salomey Kokoro, RD
hello@rdsali.com
Founder:RdSali Nutrition
RdSali is a for – purpose company looking to better the lives of individuals, families and communities by providing credible and relatable healthy eating services.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd/Mobissel/St. Andrews Clinic
(www.healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness nutrition and corrective exercise.
Thought for the week – “Everyone of us needs to save the contact of at least one Emergency Number. Choose Mobissel; 054-320-6436 or 054-320-6435.
We take the hassle out of Health Transportation; Ambulance, Pick up and drop off for hospital visits and pick up of health reports!!
armers virtually had to struggle to convince people that eating a few eggs in a week was not akin to signing your death warrant.
