How many eggs can you eat per day?

Many people often wonder how many eggs can you eat per day, and what will happen if you eat too many?

According to nutritionists, you can eat the following per day:

• adults — 3-4 eggs;
• children – 1-2 eggs;
• for elderly people – 1-2 eggs.

This is the amount that, given an active lifestyle, promotes health, and cholesterol will not accumulate in the body. Soft-boiled or hard-boiled – it does not matter.

How Many Eggs Can You Eat Per Day? Research

30-40 years ago, eggs were considered extremely unhealthy food and were excluded from almost all dietary recommendations. The average person was most concerned with how to lower blood cholesterol without medication. Strict low-cholesterol diets were practiced, excluding eggs, butter, cheese and many other valuable products.

In 1985, the US National Institute of Health recommended reducing egg consumption to two per week. Dozens of clinical trials have been conducted, showing that for those who already had heart disease or had a heart attack or stroke, such a diet prolongs life by 2-3 years.

So it was concluded that since therapeutic nutrition is useful for patients, it should be recommended to healthy people with high cholesterol. But in 1991, an article appeared entitled “Normal plasma cholesterol levels in an 88-year-old man who eats 25 eggs a day.”

A man living in a nursing home boiled about 25 eggs every day and ate them in addition to his standard diet. The grandfather thus consumed 6,5-7,5 grams of pure cholesterol per day – 20 times the permissible maximum.

At the same time, his blood cholesterol level was within normal limits – below the average in the USA. This man had been living this way of life for at least 15 years. No genetic reasons for his longevity were found, and his overall physical condition was assessed as excellent. Apparently, this diet was good for him.

What is contained in one egg?

The ratio of KBZhU per 100 g of product: 157 kcal, proteins – 13,8%, fats – 17,13%, carbohydrates – 0,5%.

Eggs have the most balanced combination of vitamins, microelements and nutrients among all products. And since they are an easily digestible high-protein product and contain virtually no carbohydrates, they quickly saturate and do not allow you to feel hungry for a long time, they are often included in a weight loss diet.

One small chicken egg is a source of a large amount of vitamins:

• Vitamin A – affects the restoration of skin and wound healing;
• Vitamin D is the main builder of bone tissue;
• Vitamin E – affects human reproductive function;
• lutein – responsible for visual acuity;
• choline – for cancer prevention;
• Folic acid and zinc are assistants to men’s and women’s health.

Which chicken eggs are healthier?

Let’s figure out which eggs are healthier:

1. Raw. Nutritionists claim that raw eggs are the healthiest, as they are better absorbed without heat treatment, do not lose their mineral and vitamin complex, and have a beneficial effect on the stomach walls, reducing acidity.
2. Boiled. Soft-boiled eggs are easily digested by the body (unlike hard-boiled eggs) due to the fact that they are not cooked for long. They are an excellent alternative to raw eggs, which not everyone is ready to eat.
3. Fried. Many people think that fried eggs are harmful because of the high amount of cholesterol, but this is not entirely true. Eggs contain substances that neutralize the harmful effects of cholesterol on the body, so you can eat scrambled eggs without fear. Of course, this type of heat treatment is less useful than boiling, but some vitamins are still preserved.

Benefits and harms of eggs

Each egg yolk contains 200-250 mg of cholesterol – more than almost any other food. This substance in high concentration is an invariable companion of the most terrible diseases. And yet, in some cases, you can eat dozens of eggs daily and remain a completely healthy person. What is the secret?

Everyone knows about the danger of excess cholesterol in the blood. Indeed, it leads to lipid metabolism disorders, accumulation of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels and development of atherosclerosis.

The risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease) and the formation of atherosclerotic plaques increases sharply.

The consequences can be extremely serious: myocardial infarction or stroke. For timely detection of such pathologies, it is useful to regularly conduct a blood test for lipid profile.

But cholesterol also performs many useful functions. In particular, it accumulates in places of damaged vessels and “repairs” these damages, participates in the construction and restoration of other cells. It is also necessary for the production of steroid hormones, such as testosterone.

At the same time, 80% of cholesterol is produced by the human body itself, mainly by the liver. And only the remaining 20% ​​comes from food. Why do many doctors believe that eating a large amount of egg yolks is harmful to health?

There is no consensus among nutritionists and endocrinologists and there never has been, because there are many benefits from this product:

• The yolk is a source of high-quality protein, which contains many essential amino acids.
• It contains a lot of vitamins A, B, D, E, K. Vitamin D is especially important, most people suffer from its deficiency.
• It contains minerals important for health: selenium, iron, zinc and phosphorus.
• It moderately increases testosterone levels in the body.

For men

Chicken eggs are a must-have for men who want to increase muscle mass and train anabolic. Athletes also often stick to a high-protein diet, so they don’t deny themselves eggs.

Eating raw chicken eggs is believed to increase libido, help manage stress and help normalize erectile dysfunction.

For women

Chicken eggs also have a positive effect on the female body. Eating eggs reduces the risk of breast cancer, helps to replenish iron deficiency, maintains beauty and slimness, supports the expectant mother during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Protein is necessary for the formation of the placenta, and choline is useful for the development of the baby’s brain.

How to choose and store chicken eggs?

When choosing and storing a product, it is necessary to follow some rules:

• each egg must be marked (C – table, D – dietary);
• On average, eggs are stored for 25 days – it is important to look at the date on the label;
• best stored in a cool, dry place;
• Cracked eggs should be eaten immediately;
• Do not wash before storing, as the protective film that covers the shell will be removed and the eggs can be stored for no more than 5 days.

To wash or not to wash?

There is no scientific evidence that washing eggshells reduces the risk of salmonella or other bacteria – perhaps the effect, if any, is very small. US infection safety guidelines state: Check the integrity of the shell and cook at a temperature above 100 degrees. Nothing is said about washing.

How to check if eggs are fresh?

It’s very easy to check: place the egg in a bowl or cup of cold water. A fresh egg will remain at the bottom of the container, without changing its horizontal position.

Eggs that are fit for use but not very fresh will rise slightly but will not float. But throw away those that float – they are spoiled. By the way, you can keep eggs fresh longer by placing them in a special form in the refrigerator, placing them with the sharp ends down.

Harm and benefit of raw chicken eggs

The second important question is not about “content” but about “form.” What is the most correct and healthy way to consume eggs?

Can you eat them raw? The answer is obvious: “Yes!” Think about it, not only people but also animals love to eat eggs, and they are unlikely to be able to cook themselves an omelet or scrambled eggs.

On the other hand, you should be sure of the quality of the product, because eating raw eggs can cause salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is caused by microbes of the genus Salmonella.

They can be found on the surface of eggs, so you should always wash eggs, even if you don’t plan to eat them raw. However, egg shells are not uniform, so over time salmonella can penetrate into the egg, the risk increases if the shell is cracked.

Thus, only fresh eggs from healthy hens and without damage to the shell can be consumed raw. In all other cases, eggs must be at least heat treated.

It is better to eat raw chicken eggs on an empty stomach, then it will be easier for the body to digest them. It is better to postpone breakfast for 30-40 minutes, but do not refuse it.