For decades, people have been emphasizing eating animal products for perfect health. At the same time, we’ve seen chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease become the number one killer in the Western world. Could there be a correlation?
In 2015, the WHO has officially classified processed meats as a class 1 carcinogen, meaning that there is a strong evidence that processed meats cause cancer. But have you also heard of the 2012 study which found that people who ate at least 3 eggs per week were almost as likely to get atherosclerosis as those who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years or more?
This means that for the average western consumer, a heart might just be around the corner. Not just that, you can find countless studies linking eggs to cancer and diabetes as well. And even the FDA isn’t fully on board when it comes to eggs!
Legally, eggs cannot be called nutritious – but there is no legal definition for “nutrient-dense”, so this is the attribution eggs usually receive. Eggs can’t also be portrayed as a diet food because of their saturated fat and cholesterol content. So it’s wrong to claim eggs are “relatively low in calories,” “low in sat fat,” or “relatively low in fat.”
Furthermore, they cannot be called a “protein-rich food” and it’s even illegal to say eggs are “healthful” or “contribute healthful components”. The scariest part though is that it’s not allowed to claim eggs are “good for you”, an “important part of well-balanced, healthy diet”, or even “safe”. This is because more than 100,000 people every year in the USA get poisoned by Salmonella from eggs.
So the USDA doesn’t really want us to consume them and only allows the egg industry to claim eggs “can reduce hunger” – just like virtually every other safe, nutritious, healthy food could.
A 2012 study found that people who ate at least 3 eggs per week had as much as two-thirds the risk for atherosclerosis as those who smoked a pack of cigarettes a day for 40 years or more. This means a heart attack might just be around the corner. And don’t be fooled, there are countless more studies linking eggs to cancer and diabetes as well.
In a nutshell, here are 4 good reasons why you should stop eating eggs immediately:
- Fiber & Calories
We all know that fiber is necessary in order to have regular bowl movements and feed beneficial bacteria in our gut. Since all animal products are completely devoid of this important nutrient, they have a high caloric density – meaning they don’t fill you up much while you’re getting in large amounts of calories.
- High fat
Eggs contain about 60% fat, a large portion of which is saturated, and egg yolks have the highest amount of cholesterol of all foods. An average-sized egg contains an unhealthful 185 milligrams of cholesterol, which is the advised daily intake of someone with diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Any dietary cholesterol is unnecessary since our bodies already produce more than enough for our needs. Any excess means increasing your risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
- Salmonella
Eggs containing bacteria-filled toxins and salmonella aren’t a rarity since these contaminants are naturally found in chicken intestines. Yes, even those who weren’t exposed to hormones and pesticides, who were free range and organic. If you crack your eggs open, you’re already exposed to these bacteria, even if you heat them up afterwards. This leads to food poisoning, and bacterial infections are hard to get rid of. It’s estimated that 142,000 illnesses each year are caused by consuming contaminated eggs.
- Allergies
Albumin is a protein found in egg whites that often triggers an allergic response in the body. Symptoms can range from hives, rashes and red skin to stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, and asthma. This furthermore weakens your immune system since your body is busy fighting off the food you’re allergic to and which causes an inflammation.
So, now that we know a bit more about the truth about eggs, how can it be that they are still seen as incredibly nutritious? Well, recently the egg industry paid food bloggers as much as $2,500 in order to write online recipes or articles about the benefits of eggs, repeating lobbyist “key messages” they were supposed to use.
Fortunately, there are some experts and websites that have enough integrity to speak the truth about this. Tradition goes a long way, but humanity has gotten rid of so many “bad habits” along the way that I’m really positive we are able to follow the right diet too.
If you’re convinced to cut out eggs, there great alternatives when it comes to almost every recipe. Simple replacements include ground flaxseeds or applesauce, bananas, cornstarch, and mashed potatoes. Some recipes even allow you to omit the egg altogether!
So start your morning with some scrambled tofu alongside your orange juice. Your gut and arteries will be forever grateful.
