Debunking Egg Myths
Myth: Eggs are chicken periods.
Farming Truth: Only mammals have menstruation cycles. Chickens are birds, not mammals, as they do not give birth to live young or lactate. There are some similarities between the human menstruation cycle and chicken egg laying (for more information about that, check out this tidbit, How is an Egg Made?), but there are also many differences. Comparing this process to a woman’s period is just a way for vegan advocates (most of whom have no hands-on experience with poultry) to scare others away from eggs. Many people don’t realize that the egg does not have to be fertilized to be laid. It is very rare to have a laying hen operation that even has a rooster, or a male chicken which would fertilize the eggs, with the hens. |
Photo from www.rosarubicondior.blogspot.com/
|
Myth: Eggs contribute to heart disease because of their cholesterol content.
Farming Truth: The term “cholesterol,” although scary to much of the general public, does not necessarily mean compounds that promote heart disease. In my previous posts, Cholesterol: Foods For The Faint of Heart? and The Association Between Fats and Heart Disease, I discussed the different forms of each substance and why, even if a food contains high amounts of fats or cholesterol, it doesn’t necessarily mean those foods are bad for cardiovascular functions. The truth is that, despite the cholesterol content of eggs, they actually lower our risk of heart disease. Here’s the science that supports that:
“Despite conflicting guidelines between countries regarding dietary cholesterol and specifically egg intake, the evidence suggests that a diet including more eggs than is recommended (at least in some countries) may be used safely as part a healthy diet in both the general population and for those at high risk of cardiovascular disease, those with established coronary heart disease, and those with type 2 diabetes mellitus.”
Fuller, Nicholas R., Amanda Sainsbury, Ian D. Caterson, and Tania P. Markovic. "Egg Consumption and Human Cardio-Metabolic Health in People with and without Diabetes." MDPI. The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, 3 Sept. 2015. Web. 5 June 2017.
“No evidence of a curve linear association was seen between egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. In addition, people with higher egg consumption had a 25% lower risk of developing hemorrhagic stroke.”
Rong, Ying, Li Chen, Tingting Zhu, Yadong Song, Miao Yu, Zhilei Shan, Amanda Sands, Frank B. Hu, and Liegang Liu. "Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: Dose-response Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies." BMJ. British Medical Journal Publishing Group, 07 Jan. 2013. Web. 05 June 2017.
“While it’s true that just one egg yolk has 200 mg of cholesterol—making it one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol—eggs also contain additional nutrients that may help lower the risk for heart disease. In addition, the moderate amount of fat in an egg, about 5 grams, is mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. It’s also crucial to distinguish between dietary cholesterol and cholesterol in the blood, which are only weakly related.”
"Eggs." The Nutrition Source. The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 01 May 2017. Web. 05 June 2017.
Myth: Eggs cause cancer.
Farming Truth: Eggs actually reduce the risk of many types of cancer, but there is no evidence supporting the claim that eggs promote malignant tumor growth. It’s important to note that maintaining a proper BMI (which accompanies a decreased risk of heart disease, discussed in the previous myth) and obtaining all the required nutrients (a great number of which are easily met with regular egg consumption) allow the body to sustain normal functioning, which, in itself, prevents cancer. Here’s the science to support that: |
Photo from www.huffingtonpost.com
|
“High consumption of eggs or fresh vegetables was associated with 20% reductions in [esophageal cancer] risk, and risk significantly declined as pretrial body mass index, an indicator of long-term nutritional status, increased.”
Riboli, Elio, and Teresa Norat. "Epidemiologic Evidence of the Protective Effect of Fruit and Vegetables on Cancer Risk." Epidemiologic Evidence of the Protective Effect of Fruit and Vegetables on Cancer Risk 1–4 (n.d.): n. pag. Lynnes Health. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 30 Jan. 2006. Web. 5 June 2017.
“Women who had, during adolescence, a higher consumption of eggs, vegetable fat and fiber had a lower risk of breast cancer.”
Frazier, A. Lindsay, Catherine Tomeo Ryan, Helaine Rockett, Walter C. Willett, and Graham A. Colditz. "Adolescent Diet and Risk of Breast Cancer." Breast Cancer Research. BioMed Central, 01 June 2003. Web. 05 June 2017.
“Our results provided no strong evidence of a significant association of egg consumption with bladder cancer incidence but showed a protective effect in Japanese.”
Fang, Danbo, Fuqing Tan, Chaojun Wang, Xuanwen Zhu, and Liping Xie. "Egg Intake and Bladder Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis." Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. D.A. Spandidos, Nov. 2012. Web. 05 June 2017.
Riboli, Elio, and Teresa Norat. "Epidemiologic Evidence of the Protective Effect of Fruit and Vegetables on Cancer Risk." Epidemiologic Evidence of the Protective Effect of Fruit and Vegetables on Cancer Risk 1–4 (n.d.): n. pag. Lynnes Health. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 30 Jan. 2006. Web. 5 June 2017.
“Women who had, during adolescence, a higher consumption of eggs, vegetable fat and fiber had a lower risk of breast cancer.”
Frazier, A. Lindsay, Catherine Tomeo Ryan, Helaine Rockett, Walter C. Willett, and Graham A. Colditz. "Adolescent Diet and Risk of Breast Cancer." Breast Cancer Research. BioMed Central, 01 June 2003. Web. 05 June 2017.
“Our results provided no strong evidence of a significant association of egg consumption with bladder cancer incidence but showed a protective effect in Japanese.”
Fang, Danbo, Fuqing Tan, Chaojun Wang, Xuanwen Zhu, and Liping Xie. "Egg Intake and Bladder Cancer Risk: A Meta-analysis." Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. D.A. Spandidos, Nov. 2012. Web. 05 June 2017.
Myth: Eggs should be avoided because of their salmonella risk.
Farming Truth: Every food, including plant-based products, have risks for food-borne illnesses. A study published by the CDC concluded that only 29% of food-borne illnesses are caused by meat and poultry (poultry includes eggs), while 46% are caused by fruits and vegetables. Although Salmonella is specifically attributed to poultry, the disease is easily prevented by thoroughly cooking eggs and meat, and washing your hands along with any dishes or utensils that may have touched the raw products. |
Photo from www.webmd.com
|
In conclusion, here are quotes from studies that have concluded that eggs play an essential role in human nutrition and should be incorporated into our diets for us to be healthy:
“In the chicken egg, there is a balance of numerous, high-quality nutrients, many of which are highly bioavailable. The egg confers a multitude of health benefits to consumers emphasizing its classification as a functional food.”
Zaheer, K. (2015) An Updated Review on Chicken Eggs: Production, Consumption, Management Aspects and Nutritional Benefits to Human Health. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6, 1208-1220.
“Eggs represent a very important food source, especially for some populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, convalescents and people who are sports training.”
Miranda, Jose, Xaquin Anton, Celia Redondo-Valbuena, Paula Roca-Saavedra, Jose Rodriguez, Alexandre Lamas, Carlos Franco, and Alberto Cepeda. "Egg and Egg-Derived Foods: Effects on Human Health and Use as Functional Foods." MDPI. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 20 Jan. 2015. Web. 05 June 2017.
“Eggs are a rich source of protein and several essential nutrients, particularly vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline. Emerging evidence suggests that eating eggs is associated with satiety, weight management and better diet quality. In addition, antioxidants found in egg yolk may help prevent age-related macular degeneration. The secondary analysis showed that regular egg consumers with a low red and processed meat (RPM) intake ate healthier diets and had a better micronutrient status than those who did not eat eggs but who had a high RPM intake. It was concluded that egg consumption, at a range of intakes, was associated with nutrition and health benefits.”
Ruxton, CHS, PhD, E. Derbyshire, PhD, and S. Gibson MA MSc RPHNutr. "The Nutritional Properties and Health Benefits of Eggs." Research Gate. Emerald Group, July 2016. Web. 5 June 2017.
“Eggs contain many vitamins and minerals that are essential parts of a healthy diet, and in many parts of the world, eggs are a readily available, inexpensive source of food.”
McIntosh, James. "Eggs: Health Benefits, Nutritional Facts, and Risks." Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, 23 May 2017. Web. 05 June 2017.
“Lutein and zeaxanthin (L/Z) are members of a carotenoid family…. L/Z are found in high concentrations in plants, however humans can’t easily absorb L/Z from plants due to chemical interference. Eggs have a relatively low quantity of L/Z compared to vegetables, but humans have an easier time absorbing it because of LZ’s fat solubility in eggs. Consequently, eggs are a very important resource of L/Z for human consumption.”
Stewart, Gwen, "Investigating the Effect of Diet on Nutrient Concentration in Eggs: How Your Breakfast Might Be Healthier than You Think" (2007). Inquiry Journal 2007. Paper 15
Share this: