What should I eat - Egg whites or Whole Eggs?

The great debate continues: Which is better for you and what should I eat? Egg whites or eggs with yolks? Is eating whole eggs really bad for my health? It seems that one day we should eat the entire egg, and the next the recommendation is to exclude the yolk and only eat the white.

So What Gives? Let's look at a few facts first.

1. Decades ago eggs were stuck in the "do not eat" category due to their high cholesterol and fat content - the belief was the extra cholesterol would lead to higher cholesterol levels in the blood.
2. More recent research shows that a little more dietary cholesterol does not lead to increases in your cholesterol levels.
3. Total cholesterol level is not as important of a risk factor for cardiovascular disease as once thought.

While most of the commentary about eggs has focused on potential dangers of the high cholesterol and fat content, whole eggs actually contain numerous nutrients that promote good health. The yolk of an egg contains choline, an essential nutrient for brain health. Whole eggs also contain antioxidants equal to that of an apple. A whole egg also contains ALL ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS required in your daly nutritional intake.

Awesome, so how many whole eggs can I eat per week then?

The actual number of eggs a person can consume in a single day is quite subjective. First of all, one egg contains about 186 mg of cholesterol, which is found mostly in the yolk. As with most foods, eggs should be eaten in moderation. Eggs can be a healthy food choice when you limit other foods with saturated and trans fat.

Personally, I do not have high blood cholesterol, diabetes or a history of heart disease and I typically consume two whole egg per day. Since I rely on eggs for the majority of my fat intake during the day, it should not increase my risk for cardiovascular disease nor should I be concerned about the 5g of fat per egg.

If you're still not convinced and think eggs will lead to heart disease, you should read the following list and make sure you have all of these other items covered before worrying about egg consumption:

• Lose Fat. People with high cholesterol usually have excess body fat.
• Exercise. This will make you lose fat and improve your health.
• Eat Healthy.
• Get Antioxidants. Like berries and green tea.
• Relax. Stress can negatively influence your cholesterol levels.
• Avoid Drugs. Cholesterol lowering drugs are harmful to your liver in the long-term.
• Eat Fewer Eggs :)

At the end of the day if you are eating a healthy diet and exercising 5 to 6 times per week, eating a whole egg will help you more than it will hurt. Eggs are as natural of a food source that there is available. They provide complete proteins, amino acids and, with proper diet and exercise will compliment any nutrition plan.