Eggs

Recently eggs have become one of my best friends. Not only are they dirt cheap estimating between .10-.05 cents an egg, but they are a complete food-meaning that there are sufficient minerals, vitamins, and proteins in an egg to be a complete meal.

• The yolks contain the vitamins and minerals
• The whites contain the proteins

Health benefits of eggs:

1. Other than fish oils, eggs are one of the only sources that contain edible vitamin D

2. Eggs contain vitamins and sulfur that help in hair, skin, and nail growth-they are a beauty pill

3. Eggs have been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer and heart disease

4. Eggs contain a high quality protein with all essential amino acids present (Proteins sustain the body and prevent hunger longer than carbs)

5. Because of carotenoids in the yolk, eggs fight against eye degeneration

6. For women who are pregnant or wanting to get pregnant, eggs contain a high source of Folic Acid which has been proven to prevent birth defects.

7. Eggs are also a brain food. They provide essential nutrients for brain function and memory.

Not every egg is equal in nutritional value however. Stress and poor environment on a hen actually reduced the hen’s immunity and therefore produce eggs with less nutritive value. “Cage-Free” or “Free Range” hens have been allowed to absorb nutrients more naturally from their environment and have less stress. Interestingly, that produced a more nutrient rich egg. Of course-nothing beats the eggs from one’s own hens or from a nearby farm.

Nutrients are also lost or changed during the cooking process. As yummy as scrambled eggs are, that method of cooking the eggs at a very high temperature actually is harmful to some of the nutrients in the egg. So it is good to eat eggs in a variety of ways.

Of course it is always good to be mindful of Salmonella. It is a harmful bacteria that is found on the shell of an egg. Eggs that have been cracked and set out for a while are the most susceptible. Those eggs can still be used, but should be reserved for baked goods where they will be cooked completely at a high temperature to kill the bacteria. In general, it is safe and even nutritious to eat raw eggs in food products, but it doesn't hurt to wash the outside of the egg before doing so and to choose rather fresh eggs to use. If using raw eggs is disturbing, dry egg products may often be substituted.

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/health-benefits-of-eggs.htm