The question of whether or not eggs are a healthy addition to our diets has been explored throughout decades of research and in-depth studies. Given all the protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and countless other nutrients that eggs contain, it's safe to say that they're a healthy choice.
Words by: Jesse Laflamme
The answer is simple: eggs are one of the healthiest, most nutrient-dense natural foods out there. They're a complete source of protein, boasting generous amounts of omega-3 and containing all of the essential amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscles. They're also chock full of lutein, zeaxanthin, and choline. Just one egg offers all this (and more!) for a mere 70 calories.
When it comes to eggs, what you see is what you get—and that's a good thing! Eggs are unprocessed, which means they contain no additives or hard-to-pronounce ingredients. Shelled eggs have nothing added to or taken out of them, making them a whole food. As with any food, there are still "ingredients" that go into the production of eggs, including chicken feed, greens, and forage from the pasture (for free range hens). That's why choosing organic eggs is so important: it's a guarantee that the hens' diets are non-GMO and free of synthetic pesticides.
The majority of the 5 grams of fat in an egg comes from polyunsaturated and monounsatured fats, which can benefit your body in a number of ways. This in combination with the high-quality protein in eggs can help curb cravings by managing appetite and blood sugar control, both of which are important for weight management and diabetes prevention. For those concerned about saturdated fat, eggs are still a very healthy option. The DGA recommends consuming less than 10% of calories per day from saturated fats. On a 2,000 calorie diet, that’s 20 grams per day. A single egg contains about 1.5 grams of saturated fat, which is less than 8% of your daily value.
Nearly all of these healthy fats are contained in the yolk, which is why it's a smart idea to consume the whole egg. For an even bigger boost of protein in your egg scramble or omelette, organic egg whites are a great option.
Decades of research has shown no evidence that moderate dietary cholesterol or egg consumption increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, except in people with a strong genetic risk for high cholesterol. This research kicked off in response to the now famous Framingham Heart Study beginning in 1948, which established a link between high cholesterol levels in the blood and health problems like heart disease. Misinformation and myths surrounding cholesterol only spread when the USDA went a step further and made an unsupported conclusion that ingesting any food high in cholesterol would, in turn, drive up the levels of cholesterol in the blood, and thus should be avoided.
It turns out not all foods behave the same way in the body. Subsequent reviews of the USDA's claims, along with numerous, more current studies have revealed no evidence that egg consumption actually elevates cholesterol within blood levels. Thus, no correlation with increased disease risk can be drawn.
In reviewing the scientific evidence for development of the 2015-2020 DGA, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee acknowledged that cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption by the U.S. population and recommended the discontinuation of a specific limit on cholesterol due to evidence from a 2013 report issued by the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology showing “no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum cholesterol.”
Omega-3 fatty acids are like superheroes: they can help regulate blood clotting, inflammation, and genetic function. Their other superpowers include controlling and preventing heart disease, stroke, lupus, eczema, and rheumatoid arthritis. So what are omega-3 fatty acids, anyway? They belong to the polyunsaturated fats family and are one the essential fats, which means the human body can't produce omega-3 fats on its own. This is just one of the reasons why free range eggs are an important addition to your diet: a study has shown that hens with access to outdoor pastures produce eggs with significantly more omega-3 fats than eggs from caged hens.
The 6 grams of protein found in an egg are made up of all 9 essential amino acids that are vital to our survival. Containing every essential amino acid makes eggs a complete or "whole" protein, and the benefits of this are endless. Whether you're seeking a filling lunch on a tight budget or a vegetarian in need of a high quality protein source, eggs can fulfull your daily nutrition needs. Science also suggests that protein plays a starring role in making a meal satisfying. Protein-rich foods take more time for the body to break down, keeing you feeling fuller longer.
Eggs are considered a nutrient dense food, and for good reason. They have high amounts of beneficial nutrients like lutein, zeaxanthin, and choline in relation to their total caloric content.
Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants that help keep your eyes healthy by preventing macular degeneration and age-related blindness. Choline is perhaps one of the most powerful essential nutrients in eggs because it plays an important role in memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions. It helps support the nervous, endocrine, digestive, and reproductive systems. Choline is also essential in fetal and infant brain development, since adequate choline during pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects. Even lactating women are especially in need of dietary choline to protect the health and development of their babies. Just one egg provides a quarter of the daily choline needs for someone who is pregnant or lactating. Our bodies are able to make a small amount of choline on their own, but the rest must be obtained from food sources like eggs.
We all know that vitamins and minerals are essential to our diets, but why is that? Each vitamin and mineral has its own function, and luckily, eggs contain a whole lot of them—this includes vitamins D, B12, A, K, riboflavin, and other antioxidants, all of which support the body in varying ways. Eggs also contain a robust amount of the antioxidant selenium, which helps prevent chronic disease and the breakdown of body tissues.
Most notably, egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium and is therefore essential for bone health. Research has shown that eggs from free range hens contain significantly more vitamin D than conventional or caged eggs, which is yet another benefit of outdoor access.
The featured image on this post comes from Reclaiming Yesterday, a member of our ambassador program. Click here to try the recipe.
What are your thoughts regarding eggs and health benefits? Let us know in the comments below.
November 19, 2020
Is egg good to reverse fatty liver and increase white blood cell?
2 Replies
December 01, 2020
Going keto reversed the fatty liver of someone I read of a while back...he did an experiment on himself I think was the story to see the health changes...this was one of numerous health benefits he found...
1 Reply
December 02, 2020
This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing, Nic!
November 20, 2020
Hi there! Eggs contain a lot of great nutrients and vitamins that are good for promoting brain and body health however we can't guarantee they are good for reversing any specific medical conditions. We always recommend consulting with a doctor to see what is the best way to clear up a condition.
March 05, 2020
I bought your eggs, loved them. One thing I would like to know "on Average" only. How much of each vitamin do they have such as Vt A, How much avg trace, selenium
March 06, 2020
Hi Daniel! Thanks for reaching out to us. We're thrilled to hear that you're enjoying our eggs. We typically use the National Nutrient Database for reference to measure the vitamins and minerals in our eggs. Often times our eggs will test higher, but we always want to meet these standards so we use their averages here: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/748967/nutrients Please let us know if you have any additional questions we can answer.
January 08, 2020
I just bought some of your eggs. Why is there 70 mg of sodium per egg?
Hi Susan, That's a great question! Eggs naturally contain a small amount of sodium, so our eggs are laid by our hens with 70mg of sodium already included.
September 03, 2019
I love your eggs. I truly believe all life is energy. If you're consuming eggs from tortured caged chickens fed crappy food then that's the energy your forcing on your body. Eggs are essential to the brain. All the propaganda of having low cholesterol has perpetuated diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.
September 06, 2019
Hello Devra, We couldn't agree more with you! Thank you for your unwavering support and loyalty...we're proud to produce such quality eggs from hens that come from true small family farms.
May 29, 2019
I grew up on a farm. I used to sign to the Hens. I thought it relaxed them so they could lay their eggs. When I eat your eggs it makes me feel like I'm eating the eggs from home. I get really nauseated thinking about what some farms do to the animals to get them to produce more. I notice that every time I crack one of your eggs the yolk looks sunny and delicious. Side by side there is a huge difference between the looks of your eggs and other store bought eggs. I'm so grateful to Pete and Gerrys as well as the farming families you get your eggs from. Thank you for banning together for the good of those of us not owning our own chickens.
Hi Geri, We love that you had the opportunity to grow up on a farm and sign to your hens. We're so glad that our eggs can bring back such great memories and rival the taste of the eggs on your own farm. The golden yolks are a direct result of the chickens being allowed to range freely outside and peck around for insects, bugs, and worms naturally. Thank you for supporting our small family farms. We're proud to bring eggs to your table!
May 27, 2019
I love eating eggs. Any way they can be made. Soft boiled jumbo eggs go a long way in satisfying my breakfast needs. Pete & Gerrys’ eggs have a unique flavor which goes a long way in making breakfast a great way to start the day.
May 28, 2019
Hi James! We couldn't agree more with you! We think eggs are incredibly versatile and that there are dozens of ways to cook them to eat. The jumbo eggs are certainly quite filling. Thank you for your unwavering support and loyalty...we're proud to produce such quality eggs with a special flavor.
August 27, 2018
Unbelievable! Thank you for making consumers aware of this. I like others commenting here do not consider the products you give as examples of what the FDA consider "healthy" healthy and I stay away from those kinds of products even though I am not diabetic. And I don't want to be either! I am aware of all the good organic eggs bring for a healthy diet and thank you!
August 01, 2018
Thank you for being willing to take a stand. I agree with you 100%. I spent my entire career in the pharmaceutical business so I understand the bureaucracy. My own Dr., a MD. agrees with you 100%. The FDA owes it to the American population to tell them the truth about cholesterol. However, we must realize that the FDA has approved and continues to approve many cholesterol fighting drugs. In my opinion, the FDA’s main focus is drugs, not nutrition. Keep up the good work on educating the public on eggs and the health benefits of eating eggs.
August 02, 2018
It's stories like yours that give us hope for future generations, Teri. Along with pushing change from the top down, we also have to educate ourselves and our peers, which can be difficult to do when multiple powers are involved. We think that the FDA's work in the pharmaceutical industry makes it even more important for them to step up and be transparent in all areas, even when that doesn't come with monetary gain. Thank you for supporting our endeavors to change this!
July 28, 2018
I am a retired Registred Nurse with a very healthy daughter (also an RN), granddaughter and two great grandchildren. Our family does NOT eat pop-tarts or jello or sugary cereal because we know that they are not healthy. They are all fine if you are encouraging obesity or diabetes or dental problems. All our families eat eggs which ARE HEALTHY!! Sometimes I despair at our government 😢🤦♀️🤔
July 31, 2018
This is so cool to hear, Dolores. We thank you for helping each generation of your family make healthy and conscious choices!
July 08, 2018
This seems typical for the FDA and USDA, if I recall butter is getting the same treatment. Butter Subs and Margarine are often loaded with trans fats, especially stick margarine. Natural Butter and Organic eggs offer the best flavor and little of the 'unhealthy' components they're accused of. I've had a physician tell me that organic eggs have a much higher level of Omega-3 than cage eggs. When I was able to keep our own chickens, they were fed table scraps and vegetables as well as plenty of fresh grass. They produced yolks that were nearly RED in color and actually had flavor. Your eggs are the same and I'll take them all-day over any others. Thanks and keep up the good work.
July 09, 2018
Hi Mark, we couldn't have said it better. The vilification of healthy fats like butter and eggs has done more harm than good, and in some cases has led consumers to believe that butter substitutes, which are often pumped full of vegetable oils and additives, are healthier than the real thing. This is frustrating given the research that shows how dietary fat actually helps our bodies burn fat. We're so glad that we're on the same page, and thank you so much for supporting our petition and our product!
June 14, 2018
January 04, 2019