I’ve often said if nature made an egg with a white and a yellow, there was probably a good reason and you should not be afraid to eat the whole thing. But still, people in search of a “perfect” body or those who feel guilty about something else they ate either avoid eggs altogether because they are “bad” or order an egg white omelet and feel safe to go about their day. But now you have a reason to believe me and eat the whole damn egg, with pleasure.
It turns out egg yolks are critical to feeding your brain.
According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, we don’t get enough choline in our diets. Best way to get choline? Egg yolks (and liver and lima beans…but I’ll go with the yolks, thanks—although I do love lima beans too).
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Getting enough choline is especially important during pregnancy and breastfeeding, because a mother getting enough choline is linked to her child’s better learning capabilities, visual and spatial skills, and even memory later in life.
Speaking of which, eating eggs (getting enough choline) can help your own aging brain, improve your memory, protect your liver, and boost your sports performance. Egg yellows have also always been known for improving your eyesight.
Eating two whole eggs a day gets you half of your daily dose of choline. No studies have been done (that I am aware of) that measure the difference in choline between conventional and organic eggs, but based on other nutritional studies, I’m going to eat my organic eggs. Plus, they just taste better.
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But here is my main concern (and yes, I am intentionally burying the headline): We in America need to spend much more time worrying about and caring for our BRAIN HEALTH. I am going to avoid making any statement that might offend anyone here, except to say there is ample evidence that Americans need to focus more on brain health and perhaps less on weight. Your brain uses 20% of your total calories, more than any of your other organs do. In order to be fully functioning and alert and at full intelligence capacity, your brain needs FAT. Your brain needs nutritious whole foods like fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. And your brain needs eggs. So eat the whole damn egg.
If you are in need of any tips and techniques for how to include more eggs in your diet (including the remarkable technique wherein you can hard-boil a fresh organic egg and peel it perfectly), please check out my cookbook Scratch. I never stopped eating the whole egg. It just didn’t make sense to me. And maybe that is because my brain is healthy from growing up eating organic eggs.
But every day is a new day to feed your brain. How about some eggs for breakfast?
Very informative. Learned a lot about eggs. People usually have a negative notion about eggs because of it cholesterol content. But, I love eggs and I know it is good for health.
Ha Ha Ha
Loves you heading phrase-“Eat The Whole Damn Egg”
Best line ever! I also like the article a lot. You have a style, you know!
I’m with you! Never gave up eating the yolk because high cholesterol doesn’t run in our family. And now the science is saying that the cholesterol in food may not relate to heart attacks.
Maria, I discovered you with your 1998 book Organic Gardening! It made a big impact on how I Garden, especially my veggie garden, it reinforced my ideas about my diet at a time when the diet dictocrats were bombarding us with bad rules. One of the big takeaways in my case was how important portion size is. You have helped me live a healthy life and helped me make a healthy life for all my butterflies, bees, birds, earthworms and Mother Earth. Thank you!
Great recipe. I like eggs adn I think that they are among the most healtiest dishes.
Hi there Maria, I was referred to your website from Christina Hills Website Creation Workshop. She used your website as an example in how to have your blogs categorized in the top menu.
I read your article about eggs and I do not eat the egg yolks because I am allergic to it. So, do you have an alternative to consuming Choline without consuming egg yolks.
Thank you.