Eggs are bad – then good – then bad again? What gives?
For many decades, there have been debates on whether consuming eggs is beneficial or a risk.
When do hens begin to lay eggs?
During ideal day length (14-16 hours of light) and with adequate nutrition, housing, and management, hens (depending on breed) should begin producing eggs when they are18- 22 weeks old.
Eggs are good for overall health. It is widely thought that since eggs contain high cholesterol, there is an increased risk of heart attacks, coronary heart disease, and strokes.
High intake of eggs and cardiovascular risk is people with type 2 diabetes.
Eggs Contain a Variety of Brain Healthy Nutrients
Eggs contain choline, a nutrient that is getting attention as a powerhouse in boosting brain health.
Your brain converts chlorine into acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that helps brain cells communicate with each other. Nutritionists have to better memory and better mental function.
Many people don’t get enough choline in their diet. Eating eggs is an easy way to get choline, because egg yolks are among the most concentrated sources of this nutrient.
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Thank you ….Eggs are a rich source of vitamins B6 and B12 which are important for brain health and development. It helps reduce your risk of dementia, heart disease, and cancer. B vitamins are linked to slowing the progression of mental decline for patients with mild cognitive impairment.
Folic acid, found in eggs, is important for the nervous system affecting mood and cognitive function especially in older people. Folate deficiency in the elderly increases the risk of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.
The antioxidant lutein gives egg yolks their bright yellow color. Additionally, it boosts eye health by providing protection against diseases.
Examples include cataracts and age –related macular degeneration.
More recently, they have found a connection between lutein and better cognition across different domains like memory, language, and learning.
The bad rap against eggs for years has been cholesterol. Despite its longstanding and misunderstood reputation, cholesterol plays a vital role in brain health. Your brain needs it to function properly.
Both fish and seafood contain “good” cholesterol which is the healthiest. You can find that same cholesterol in egg yolk – so be sure to eat the whole egg!
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Hens may live in backyard flocks for 6-8 years, and most flocks will produce eggs for 3-4 years.
The level of egg production, egg size, and shell quality decrease each year. Most commercial layers are kept for 2-3 years as their egg production decreases after this time.
To keep a small flock producing, owners should plan to retire old hens and add young hens (pullets) every 2-3 years.
How many eggs a day should you eat?
So how many eggs can you eat every day now knowing that they are jam-packed with vitamins and antioxidants that can boost your brain health?
Scientists and nutritionists agree – everything in moderation…up to 1 egg ls fine per day. Average it out over the week – you can certainly eat two eggs per breakfast, but just two or three times per week.
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When it comes to getting older, memory loss and declining cognitive function are two of the biggest fears many of us face. Luckily, there are some tasty ways to protect our noggins as we age — especially for all you omelets fans out there.
But really, it doesn’t matter how you prefer your eggs; they’re packed with plenty of perks for your brain, whether sunny-side-up or hard boiled. However, you can give yourself even more benefits by getting a little picky when it comes to the brand of eggs you choose.
Roaming free chickens produces amped up eggs thanks to the fortified feed their chickens enjoy with a plethora of helpful nutrients. In particular, two of the omega-3s found inside their eggs happen to be great for cognitive health: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Scrambling up even just one egg will give you 63 mg of DHA, which is more than double the amount you’ll find in ordinary eggs (usually around 29 mg). The level of ALA goes even further with 60 mg, more than tripling the average 18 mg in ordinary eggs.
The cholesterol in eggs doesn’t seem to negatively affect the human body compared to other sources of cholesterol.
For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase heart disease risk and should be eaten sparingly.
Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health. Some choose to eat only the egg white and not the yolk, which provides some protein without the cholesterol.
Due to the variety of nutrients found in eggs, they are an ideal food to include in the diets of older adults.
They are also economical, easily prepared and soft in texture which makes them appropriate for people of this age group.
Eggs are recommended as part of a healthy eating pattern that also includes adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, lean meat, fish and poultry and unsaturated fats.
Eggs are an inexpensive, widely available and easily digestible source of high-quality protein and contain a significant proportion of leucine, an amino acid that is important for muscle synthesis, as well as many other nutrients of significance for older people, including vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
For many older people, eggs are a familiar and acceptable protein food at breakfast and other meals.
Encouraging both those approaching older age and older people to include eggs more frequently, as part of a healthy, balanced diet and in addition to physical activity, could help them maintain their muscle strength and function, thereby preserving their functional capacity and reducing morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs associated with sarcopenia.
When you prepare eggs, you should also pay attention to the way you cook them, if you fry them, the oil that you add is only going to contribute to your saturated fat for the day drier or oil-free cooking methods are preferred.
Poaching.
Boiling.
Pan-frying
Pan-frying you should avoid putting salt on you eggs to keep the amount of sodium in your diet at the recommended level. One teaspoon of salt is all you need per day.
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