In 1976, Rocky Balboa started a new fitness trend by showing how he cracked raw eggs into a glass and then drank them. And although the raw egg fad is now dismissed, eggs remain a preferred source of protein in particular, but also of other nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are important for people who work out. They play an important role in their diet, and also help with weight loss and building an athletic physique, while also providing many benefits for the body.
What nutrients do eggs contain?
Protein for building muscle
It is a well-known fact that eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. One egg contains about 6–7 g, which equals 10-13% of the recommended daily intake for an adult. Egg protein is complete, meaning it provides the body with all essential amino acids, and in large amounts.
Its quality is considered higher than that of the amino acids found in other foods, such as chicken, beef, fish and even vegetarian sources such as tofu. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins in the human body and play an important role in building and repairing muscle tissue.
A variety of vitamins and minerals
Eggs are often called “the perfect food” not only because of their high protein nutritional value, but also because of the variety of vitamins and minerals they contain. When planning their diet, most people focus mainly on the amount of protein and carbohydrates, but vitamins and minerals also play an important role, and those found mainly in the yolks help with tissue repair and growth.
The main ones are:
- Retinol
- Vitamin D
- Riboflavin
- Folic acid
- Vitamin B12
- Choline
- Biotin
- Phosphorus
- Iron
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Selenium
High in fat and cholesterol
Eggs are not very high in calories, but their fat and cholesterol content is high. One whole egg contains around 70 calories, 5 g of fat and about half the recommended daily cholesterol intake. If you want to get a higher proportion of protein from eggs, their high cholesterol content can be a problem. You would need to eat 5 eggsto get 25 to 30 g of protein, but along with that, you would give your body around 25 g of fat and twice the recommended amount of cholesterol.
What are the main benefits of eating eggs?
Body fat loss
It is a well-known rule that fat burning begins when you are in a calorie deficit. Eggs can help you achieve this because they provide the body with complete protein, which creates a feeling of fullness and helps you eat less.
A study of people who ate eggs for breakfast every day for 8 weeks found that they achieved better and faster fat-loss resultsthan those who ate pastries for breakfast. In addition, the former reported having more energy and less fatigue.
Another reason eggs can support body fat loss is that they are one of the foods highest in leucine. This amino acid is responsible for boosting protein synthesis and metabolism.
Anti-inflammatory effects
Eggs have a very strong anti-inflammatory effect. This is mainly due to their content of high-quality antioxidants, lutein, zeaxanthin and selenium. According to a recent study, eating eggs for breakfast significantly reduces inflammatory markers compared with oatmeal.
Building muscle mass
Eggs have always been a favorite source of protein, even before protein powders were created. They are also rich in leucine — the most important amino acid for building muscle.
In addition, there is evidence that cholesterol, found in eggs, supports the production of hormones linked to building muscle mass, such as testosterone.
Improves workout quality and endurance
Nutrition experts recommend eating whole eggs (not just the whites). That’s because the yolks contain all the hard-to-get nutrients— vitamin D, B vitamins, choline, minerals, carotenoids and fatty acids. Some scientists believe this blend of micronutrients helps improve performance, endurance and workout quality.
Are eggs good to eat before and after a workout?
However you prepare them —fried, soft-boiled or scrambled, eggs are a great choice for a quick pre-workout snack. Ideally, eat them an hour beforehand and avoid hard-boiled eggs, as they are harder to digest.
When eaten within an hour after a workout, eggs support muscle growth and muscle fiber recovery. They provide the body with key amino acids and essential nutrients that boost the process of fat burning.
How should you prepare eggs to get the most protein?
Eggs can be prepared in many different ways. Besides scrambled, in an omelet or fried, they can also be paired with rice (e.g. egg fried rice), or pasta (e.g. pasta with carbonara sauce) or used in sweet recipes — pancakes, rice pudding, etc. Sweet foods can be used as a source of energy for the body, but be careful about the amount of sugar and fat used in their preparation.
You can increase the biological value of egg dishes by combining the right ingredients, such as wheat with eggs, milk with eggs, or potatoes with eggs. Combining eggs with oats also increases the amount of iron absorbed.
What is the recommended weekly egg intake?
It’s difficult to give an exact figure, as there is no universal answer for everyone. According to experts, it depends on each person’s individual tolerance:
- People who are overweight and those with high cholesterol are advised to eat 1 egg a day
- Healthy, active people can eat 3 or 4 eggs for breakfast several times a week, as long as they enjoy them and their stomachs tolerate them
Can I eat raw eggs?
of safety reasons and because of the risk of salmonella infection, eating raw eggs is not recommended.