Egg yolk: Good or bad for you?

 

Navratras will be over tomorrow and many of us will get back to eating eggs again after more than a week's abstinence. But just so that you don’t go back to skipping the yolk and eating only the whites, I am writing this post to convince you why eating the omelette minus the yellow is a big-big mistake. In any case, egg yolks have been facing flak for too long now, so it’s time to chaff the fluff from the real truth. Here are four reasons why you must have the yellow goodness:

While most of us associate the super healthy carotenoids with vegetables, egg yolks are actually a very good source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids, which are crucial for eye health. These protect the eye from damage caused by ultraviolet light, and studies have shown that their high dietary intake also leads to a significant reduction in the risk for cataract and age-related Macular Degeneration (which eventually leads to blindness). Wow, a one stop food for your eyes!

Yolks provide us with choline, which is a dietary component essential for normal function of all cells. Yes, it is that important! It leads to improved brain functioning and greater lifelong memory capabilities. Big bonus!

It also has a less known compound called betaine, which helps reduce levels of homocysteine in the blood. Elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations are considered a big risk factor for cardiac disease. So eggs actually help cut down the risk for heart disease.

Finally the fear about the fat content in the yolks is totally unfounded. In fact, half the fat in the yolk isn’t even saturated. Besides saturated fat is not a devil anymore if we go by latest research. Cholesterol content in it is not so much of an issue too, unless you already have a cholesterol problem. Then too yolk in moderation is perfectly fine.

So unless you are allergic to eggs, you should eat them regularly.

Get the power
Slice a hard-cooked egg, and add to a salad; keep hard-cooked eggs on hand for a quick snack or breakfast on the go; mix chopped up hard boiled eggs with fresh lemon juice and olive oil and leeks to make a healthy egg salad; place a poached egg on top of a toast lined with steamed spinach. Top with salsa. Yum!