THE CHICKEN EGG: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY!

The incredible edible chicken egg. When it comes from a healthy chicken that received a proper diet, sufficient exercise and plenty of sun... there isn't anything much better. But, if you are consuming eggs from a commercially or factory farmed chicken... all bets off. Your health is under-siege, big time!

I recently was asked a question about the consumption of eggs, and I am sure the person was really concerned about consuming the controversial egg yoke, not the egg white. Well, once again, if the chicken is healthy, no worries. Really.

THE GOOD

The chicken egg may be the most nutritionally complete food available for consumption. In some ways, you could even consider it a super-food (though I am not a fan of the term myself). Now, what makes this more surprising to some is that the majority of the nutrients are in the yolk, not the white.

NUTRIENTS OF THE CHICKEN EGG: THE YOLK VS. THE WHITE

Yolk Nutrients: 100% of Carotenes, Essential Fatty Acids, Vitamins A, E, D, and K.

White Nutrients: 100% of NOTHING!

Yolk Nutrients: 90% of Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc, Thiamine, B6, Folate, and B12.

White Nutrients: 90% of NOTHING!

And remember, the egg yolk is smaller than the egg white, so you can see how jam-packed with nutrients the egg yolk really is. The egg yolk is so incredible, you may want to replace your one-a-day with it, but continue reading before you do so!!!

THE BAD

Important note, not all eggs are created equal.

YOU SHOULD NOT CONSUME COMMERCIALLY FARMED EGGS. EVER!

If you are consuming cheap commercially farmed eggs, than there is a good chance that your egg laying unhealthy de-beaked hen is full of antibiotics, eating fecal matter and never gets to exercise, let alone see sunlight... EVER! What kind of nutrients do you think this hen is passing on in her eggs? You should look for free-range or pasture-raised chicken laying hens, because these eggs come from hens that are free to forage for grass and insects. If you still are not convinced, how could you not be? Do a test between a cheap commercially farmed egg and an egg that comes from natural, if not organic, farming. You MUST know that the chicken was healthy! Compare the hardness and thickness of the egg shells, the color and intensity of the yoke and how the total egg looks and tastes. There is no comparison.

Buying cheap eggs is not the place to save a couple bucks.

THE UGLY

There is a lot of misinformation on the egg yolk. MIS-information. Do not steer clear of the egg yolk because it is considered a high cholesterol food. Increased Dietary Cholesterol intake does not lead to increased Serum Cholesterol levels. This country is so fat-phobic that it actually is destroying people’s health because of it. If you are concerned about your cholesterol level, don’t blame it on the few “real” foods that may contain moderate levels of cholesterol (You may not want to eat shrimp because of contaminants, but don’t steer clear because of its cholesterol level). Take a look at the amount of refined and processed sugars you consume daily and the ability of the liver to create great amounts of cholesterol. The egg has been around a lot longer than America’s concern with heart disease, which is really a quite new phenomena, now why do you think that is?

The egg was never part of the problem, foods that have been created in the past 100 years are!!!

On a personal note, today while in my mid-40's, I consume nearly three dozen free-range organic chicken eggs a week, and at age 40 I consumed up to 4 dozen eggs a week and my cholesterol level was 125. I have fed feral cats eggs that are free of antibiotics and hormones and that is the lowest quality of egg I would ever think about feeding an animal, let alone a human.

You have heard this before, but it never gets old, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!!! Well, actually, you are what you assimilate, but at this point, that is just semantics.

Last points: 1. I am sick of health and fitness professionals who write about how great the egg is, but only eat the whites because the yolk is full of calories and fat. Those experts should be embarrassed of such thinking; and 2. There seem to be studies coming out now that are showing that it was a mistake to vilify the chicken egg in the first place (duh!), BUT they insist that you keep your consumption down (and replace this quality food with what, boxed cereal?). Once again, pretty embarrassing state of affairs, not surprised our health is what it is in this country with those lines of thinking!

Once again: Concerning purchasing only high quality food products, PAY MORE and EAT LESS!

In my opinion, when talking about optimal nutrition, it doesn't get any better than the chicken egg!

In my opinion, when talking about optimal nutrition, it doesn't get any better than the chicken egg!