Eggs: Friends or Foe?

by exewellness | May 17, 2020 | Nutrition

Eggs: Friends or Foe?

This is probably one of the favourite questions that I get asked most of the times. Of course, there would be detractors out there who still insist that eggs are bad for you, and that you should not eat more than 3 eggs per week. There are also others who ate more than the “recommended amount” of eggs every week, but without the infamous “bad” yolk that was getting all the bad press of contributing directly to your high cholesterol reading. What I am sharing here is my personal experience, and why I do not believe in the myths surrounding eggs that have been circulated for generations. For those of you live in the 80s and 90s, you would probably be aware of how cholesterol was “demonized”, and how consumption of more than 3 eggs per week is frowned upon by your family members.

Way back in 2007, I was actually experiencing some weight management issues (very much due to inactivity and bad diet). All it took to “shock” me and take action one fine day, is when I try to weigh myself that day. For the first time of my life, I actually tip the scale at 80kg. I couldn’t fit into my pants, I feel tired and struggled to finish a 5 km race, and basically very down in emotions. Then it happens. I started to be more conscious of what I put in my mouth. One of those things that I put into my mouth more, is eggs. Back then, I was fortunate enough to come across some research and articles that pointed me to the right direction. As a result, I decided to increase my intake of eggs. Fats actually increase your satiety, and as a result, you do not feel that hungry after you consume fats. And I needed that in 2008, when I am on a fat loss programme).

Fast forward to 2020, I am past my prime (and Government actually call me an elder, by making us opt in for their ElderShield), but there are major improvements since 2008. I can fit into a size 28-29 pants (compared to size 34 back then), I can still run and sprint and I also started to work out in the gym! Back to the main storyline of the day: Eggs. When we talk about cholesterol, we generally (or very loosely) refer to good and bad cholesterol. What the general public do not know is that cholesterol play an important part in our bodily functions. You need cholesterol to make hormones, and also help you in your digestion of food. For the technically savvy readers out there, cholesterol helps to make bile, which will then be used to digest food. Cholesterol comes from two sources: your body and food. Your body will produce all the cholesterol you need, and circulates it in your bloodstream. When you eat a diet that is high in “trans-fat” and saturated fat, your liver will actually produce more cholesterol. Cholesterol will actually form plaques along arterial walls and cause blockage of arteries. I will dedicate my next blog post on more about eggs and cholesterol. Stay tuned!