Egg yolk, red alarm !! We often hear that egg yolk is full of saturated fats & cholesterol which should not be included in our routine as it is not good for our health. Eliminating them from your diet for fear of fat and cholesterol is actually depriving your body of important nutrition. All the nutrition in an egg is in the yolk, but many people still insist on buying egg whites and throwing the yolks away. 

Here’s why the yolks are actually the best part.

  • Iron
  • Folate
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin B
  • Choline

The real threat to high cholesterol is saturated and trans fats, not dietary cholesterol. Nutrients in egg yolks can actually help the body to manage the cholesterol intake. One egg yolk contains about 185 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol. Eating two eggs a day is recommended & does not adversely cause any cardiac risk in healthy adults. Studies have shown that consumption of more than six eggs per week also does not increase your risk of stroke.

  • Vitamin B (particularly Riboflavin) has been known to aid in lowering LDL (“bad” cholesterol).
  • The Lecithin within the egg prevents much of the cholesterol from even being absorbed within your digestive tract.
  • Choline & folate can helps to prevent the heart disease. Choline is also important for the health of your cell membranes and has anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Carotenoids in egg yolk particularly the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin helps for promoting good eye health. These carotenoids, which are colourful pigments that give egg yolks their yellow colour, lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

It also depends how you prepare it!

If you’re frying your eggs in saturated-fat like butter or ghee and serving them with bacon —they will have a negative impact on your cholesterol levels. Instead you can heat Olive oil on low heat in a cast-iron skillet to cook your egg the healthiest way. When cooking omelette, frittata, or any other dish that involves a larger quantity of eggs, use mix of whole eggs with egg whites. The reason is that whole eggs do have a decent amount of fat. So, if you’re cooking something with more than two eggs, I recommend replace in egg whites in place of the whole eggs.

Bottom line- If you have a history of high cholesterol or heart disease in your family you may consult your doctor about how to limit your cholesterol intake. Eating whole eggs in moderation is not bad for your health, but when making dishes with a large quantity of eggs, try to balance the count of whole eggs and egg whites.