Thursday, April 26, 2012

8 Health Benefits of Eggs


“Super Food” is a word that food marketers love to use to sell their products. But few options live up to the hype as well as eggs. In fact, when we asked our panel of nutrition advisors for the healthiest foods, one choice repeatedly made the list: Eggs. But don’t take our word for it. Here are 8 potential health benefits that you could enjoy by adding eggs to your diet.

Better Vision
Here’s a quick science lesson that you have to see to appreciate. According to the Journal of Nutrition, eating just one egg per day significantly boosts the levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in your blood. While this might not mean much to you, these two nutrients protect your eyes from free radicals and sunlight exposure. The benefit: Better vision and healthier eyes. And recent research shows that eating at least one egg per day may also lower your risk of developing cataracts.

Strengthened Immune System
Each large egg provides you with 15.3 mcg of selenium, a considerable portion of the 55 mcg that your body requires daily. Selenium boosts immune system function, which can help you ward off skin infections. What’s more, the selenium in eggs may also decrease your risk of skin cancer, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Healthier Skin
While some cosmetic companies try to add eggs to their products, eating eggs can also help maintain your youthful appearance. That’s because eggs are filled with Vitamin A and copper—both of which help with tissue regeneration. Vitamin A can help prevent acne, while copper boosts the production of elastin, a compound in your body that keeps your skin strong and healthy.

Reduced Inflammation
Your body has a tremendous ability to heal itself, but sometimes that process can break down and you’re left feeling weak, tired, and with a mysterious number of ailments. One potential cause: Inflammation—which among its many detriments is linked to heart disease and cancer. The choline in eggs can reduce inflammation by more than 20 percent by helping you produce new cell membranes and improving your neural connections, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Muscle Growth
Most people know that protein plays a vital part in building muscle. That’s because your muscles are 25 percent protein, while the rest is primarily water. But what makes eggs so special is their high concentration of leucine—an amino acid that helps turn the protein in your meals into bulging biceps, a strong chest, or lean legs and a sexy back. In fact, research conducted at McMaster University found that even a small dose of egg protein after a workout (as little as 5 grams) improves recovery and growth. But for ideal results, the scientists found that your body responds best to at least 20 grams (which is the equivalent of 3 eggs).

Better Hair
While you can’t stop the aging process, you can fight against it. Eggs offer a vitamin cocktail to keep your healthy mane with a mix of vitamin D (which prevents hair loss, according to research at the University of Cal-Davis), vitamin A (scalp health), biotin (improves hair thickness), and B vitamins (prevents graying).

Improved Brain Functioning
Scrambled eggs might help unscrambled your brain. After all, according to research at Tufts University, the choline and lecithin in eggs might improve brain functioning. Choline helps regulate brain activity, your nervous system and cardiovascular health by maintaining the structure of brain cell membranes, which helps relay messages from the brain to your nerves and muscles. What’s more, many eggs are now include healthy amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help memory, enhance mood, and fight off cognitive disease.

Faster Weight Loss
When starting a diet plan, one of the easiest ways to jumpstart weight loss is to replace your morning carbs for eggs. In fact, a study in the International Journal of Obesity found that swapping your morning bagel with two eggs led to 65 percent more weight loss. Simple, right? That’s because eggs are an efficient source of protein that provides energy and keeps you full—while also helping you maintain your muscle as you work to burn away your unwanted fat.

- Adam Bornstein

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/blog/blog/the-8-health-benefits-eggs

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