Eggs-actly!

Appetizer
Be LESS critical of eggs and include MORE of them in your diet. In the past, eggs were given a bad rap because they contain cholesterol, and researchers have found that high cholesterol leads to heart disease.

However, in 2000, the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines changed slightly. They now focus on limiting foods high in saturated fat and keeping cholesterol intake under 300 mg a day. Given this, it is completely OK for an otherwise healthy individual to consume eggs in moderation.

TRUE: An egg is a good source of nutrients. For about 15 cents, you get 6 grams of protein, some healthful unsaturated fats and a smattering of vitamins and minerals. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss.

TRUE: Eggs have a lot of cholesterol. The average large egg contains 212 milligrams of cholesterol. As foods go, that's quite a bit, rivaled only by single servings of liver, shrimp and duck meat.

FALSE: All of that cholesterol goes straight to your bloodstream and then into your arteries. Not so. In the average person, only a small amount of the cholesterol in food passes directly into the blood.

Main Course
This does not mean that you have permission to eat three eggs smothered in butter and cheddar cheese every day of the week. You still have to be reasonable about what you're having, and as always, use common sense.

If you enjoy eggs, eating one a day should be OK, especially if you compensate in other ways:


* Weed out other bad actors. Cutting back even further on saturated and trans fats will have noticeable and positive effects on your cholesterol.

* Skip around. If a single egg looks too lonely on your plate, or a one-egg vegetable omelet doesn't fill you up, have two eggs one day and none the next.

* Keep tabs. Have your cholesterol checked in two or three months to see if it has changed.

Source: Orlando Sentinel

Dessert
All of an egg's cholesterol is in the yolk. When I make scrambled eggs or omelets, I use one whole egg and just egg whites for the remainder. Most grocery stores carry pourable egg whites or yolk-free egg substitutes, and I've come to rely on them. In fact, I usually have an egg white omelet every day before work.

About Cafe Physique:
The mission of Café Physique is to help clients reach and exceed their personal fitness and nutrition goals. If you’re in need of an a nutritionist in Atlanta or an Atlanta personal trainer – Café Physique is the perfect solution. We offer Atlanta yoga instruction, Atlanta prenatal workouts, and Atlanta personal training. We also have private sessions of pilates that Atlanta residents are raving about. We invite you to let a member of our Atlanta registered dietitian staff or personal training team develop and implement a realistic and healthy lifestyle plan to meet your personal goals.