The big egg debacle
How many can you eat? Should you eat the yolk? All of your eggy questions—answered.
If you were to ask me what one breakfast I would eat every day for the rest of my life, I would likely joke with you and ask—are we going to count nutrition or not in this hypothetical situation? Because if it does, I would have to choose two eggs over easy with fruit and a slice of toast. Because, contrary to popular belief, it’s probably one of the healthiest breakfasts you can have.
Eggs have gotten a slightly bad rap over the years due to their high cholesterol content. People looking to lower the cholesterol numbers have probably been advised by their doctors to eat fewer eggs (or to skip egg yolks).
But here’s the big eggy debacle that contradicts this advice—eating dietary cholesterol doesn’t give you high cholesterol.
Let’s get into it.
Understanding dietary cholesterol
First, I think a clearer understanding of cholesterol is in order. Our blood contains two types of cholesterol. There’s LDL cholesterol, which transports cholesterol from the liver to tissues and cells in the body. Then there’s HDL cholesterol, which transports excess cholesterol back to the liver and disposes of it. Nutritionally, your goal is to eat foods that support the production of HDL cholesterol in your blood, which includes foods like olive oil, whole grains, beans, legumes, fruit, fish, and other high-fiber foods, according to research.
Now here’s the key thing to understand—saturated fats and trans fats raise your LDL cholesterol levels, not dietary cholesterol. These are the fats found in fatty meats, butter, lard, cream, and various cheeses.
Your liver already produces enough cholesterol that it needs. But if you’re taking in more cholesterol from your diet, the liver produces less of it. However, excess cholesterol in the blood is not coming from dietary cholesterol but is coming from saturated fatty foods.
These findings were solidified by a 2018 review in Nutrients which states, backing up a decision from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to remove a limit on dietary cholesterol intake, that less than 10% of your diet should come from saturated fatty foods. The review even stated:
“Considering that eggs are affordable and nutrient-dense food items, containing high-quality protein with minimal saturated fatty acids (1.56 gm/egg) and are rich in several micronutrients including vitamins and minerals, it would be worthwhile to include eggs in moderation as a part of a healthy eating pattern.”
The eggy nutrition breakdown
Let’s take a look at the nutritional content of one large egg, according to nutritional data collected from the USDA.
5 grams of fat (7% of your Daily Value)
1.6 grams of saturated fat (8% DV)
6 grams of protein (12% DV)
Vitamin D (11% DV)
As you can see, eggs still have some saturated fat content—so it’s still advised by nutrition experts to not overdo it on eggs. But cutting out eggs altogether (or even just taking out the yolk) would mean significantly reducing the nutrients that are good in there, like protein and even vitamin D.
Keep the egg yolk? Yes. The egg yolk is actually where almost all of the vitamin D and fat content reside in the egg (remember, having some dietary fat in your diet keeps you fuller for longer), and contains half of the protein content.
Here’s more on egg yolks (and egg yolk colors) if you’re interested. >>
So...how many eggs should you crack open?
Many dietitians feel differently about this (because at this point, a dietary recommendation should be all individually client-based), but let’s take a look at the research for reaching a general consensus.
Numerous studies conclude that eating one or two eggs a day is a good number to settle on if you enjoy your plate of eggs, toast, and fruit in the morning. In fact, eating eggs can actually be helpful if you’re looking to decrease your risk of heart disease, according to research in Circulation (a medical journal from the American Heart Association), the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and the BMJ. One smaller study from The Journal of Nutrition even concluded that eating up to three eggs a day is associated with improved HDL cholesterol levels.
Obviously, it’s important to note that eggs do have saturated fat content, which we now know is a driving force for raising LDL cholesterol levels. However, if you enjoy eating eggs as part of your diet and want to crack open an egg for breakfast this morning, it’s still a nutrient-dense option that research, dietitians, and even the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend.
Now that we’ve cracked open the truth on eggs (ha) let’s make breakfast toast.
Before we dive in, my only note to you is on the bread. Remember, don’t be scared of bread! Having some bread in your diet really is okay—especially if you’re going for bread that your gut will love to digest. I am partial to a homemade loaf of sourdough, but research even shows that rye bread is also an incredibly healthy option, if you’re looking for something to buy.
Simple Breakfast Toast
Ingredients
1 slice of artisanal bread (rye, whole grain, or sourdough taste best!)
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 egg
1 tsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Everything Bagel Seasoning, to taste
Hot Sauce, optional
Instructions
Toast up a slice of your favorite artisanal bread and set it aside on a plate.
Cut open an avocado and scoop out a half. Mash it up in a bowl and spread it on your toasted bread.
In a small frying pan, heat up your tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Once heated, crack open an egg and cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes.
If you want an egg over easy, flip at this time. If you want it sunny-side up, simply let the egg cook until the whites a are cooked through on top. Sometimes covering the pan with a lid can help with cooking the tops quickly. I like to fry mine over-easy and break it just a little bit so I don’t have a runny egg down my cheek.
Place the egg on your toast. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other desired toppings—like everything bagel seasoning, or hot sauce. Enjoy!
When I’m feeling extra fancy, I love to make myself an omelet for breakfast. Not just any omelet, but this particular omelet I learned from a chef located in NYC. So let me teach you to make the perfect omelet. Yessssssss.
There are a few tips that come with making the perfect omelet at home:
Use heavy cream and butter. I know we just talked about saturated fat content. But this is for one of those Saturday morning moments where you want something fun for breakfast. Honestly, if I choose to eat a higher saturated fatty meal, I definitely want to eat something like this.
Add Boursin cheese. This was such a revolutionary tip for me! I am obsessed with Boursin cheese, so of course, adding in some dollops to an omelet just made it that much better. And while there are so many flavors you can buy, I’m partial to Garlic & Fine Herb and Shallot & Chive.
Pour your eggs, then add fillings. I always thought you had to flip over your large egg omelet before adding fillings and folding it. That’s not the case! Whether it be caramelized onions or simply some spinach, add it in once you pour your eggs in the pan.
Go low and slow. For this purpose, keep the temperature low and take your time. You want to give the omelet time to cook in the middle, while still stay soft and fluffy on the outside (no one likes a burnt egg omelet).
Here’s a full tutorial I put together for work if you’re now craving a little omelet situation this morning!
Here are all of the random things that were on my plate this week.
Where I’m going: Miss Ada in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
What I’m eating: Curry Chicken Potpie by Eating Well
What I watched: Moulin Rouge! The Musical
What I’m reading: Ruin & Rising by Leigh Bardugo
What I’m listening to: Birthplace by Novo Amor