Eggs

[Johns Magic]

A question about chicken eggs.

Obviously they're high in protein and you always hear about bodybuilders eating truckloads of them. They taste great and are relatively easy to prepare.

However I'd love to get the facts about their cholesterol levels, because I have heard mixed reports. Last year I had to have a blood test for glandular fever and the results showed that I have a "very high" level of cholesterol, which is hereditary on my dad's side even though both of us have(or in his case had :lol quite low body fat percentages.

Basically I've avoided eggs ever since, but the other day someone at the gym who pumps a lot of iron told me that it's been proven that eggs don't increase cholesterol levels and that I should be eating them if I'm looking to bulk up. A quick google search again shown varying reports.

Anyone with a solid scientific knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated, because I'd love to get back into eggs if cholesterol isn't a factor.

Cheers

 

[sportive cupid]

Have you checked with your doctor yet?

 

[Hallatia]

my doctor does not stop recommending them to me. Apparently the eggs themselves balance themselves out in terms of cholesterol if they are raw or boiled, so it's good cholesterol that you end up getting out of them but the egg yolk on its own is bad cholesterol, and fried eggs are obviously not so good

 

[Johns Magic]

Well I haven't had to go to the doctor since and eggs weren't discussed after the blood test. I'm sure I could go to see my doctor but I'd rather not make an appointment/call purely to discuss eggs.

 

[roopy]

For a start, the egg white is nearly all protein and the fat and cholesterol is in the yolk, which is why some people have omellettes made with four or five egg whites and only one yolk. The egg white is near perfect for someone wanting protein only.
As to the official recommendations re eggs, up till a few years ago they were still saying you shouldn't eat more than 3 eggs a week because of cholesterol, but more recent studies have apparently found they aren't as bad for you as previously thought because the type of cholesterol in the eggs is mostly not the 'bad' type (I haven't seen the studies myself).
One thing you can do to help with cholesterol levels is to get some omega3 fats into your diet by either taking fish oil capsules or eating some of the foods that now say they have omega3 in them, and i think i've even seen eggs that make that claim (don't know if that is a credible claim or not).
I have highish cholesterol and take fish oil capsules, and my doctor says i'm borderline as to needing cholesterol reducing drugs, so i don't eat eggs as a regular part of my diet, but i'll eat them now and then without feeling too guilty.

 

[Twizzle]

I also have high cholesterol and its hereditary but I take medication for it and have blood tests every 12 months and have had no problems and I do eat eggs regularly.

 

[Hallatia]

is high cholesterol hereditary?

 

[aqua_duck]

Eggs have the highest percentage of absorbable protein

 

[Johns Magic]

For a start, the egg white is nearly all protein and the fat and cholesterol is in the yolk, which is why some people have omellettes made with four or five egg whites and only one yolk. The egg white is near perfect for someone wanting protein only.
As to the official recommendations re eggs, up till a few years ago they were still saying you shouldn't eat more than 3 eggs a week because of cholesterol, but more recent studies have apparently found they aren't as bad for you as previously thought because the type of cholesterol in the eggs is mostly not the 'bad' type (I haven't seen the studies myself).
One thing you can do to help with cholesterol levels is to get some omega3 fats into your diet by either taking fish oil capsules or eating some of the foods that now say they have omega3 in them, and i think i've even seen eggs that make that claim (don't know if that is a credible claim or not).
I have highish cholesterol and take fish oil capsules, and my doctor says i'm borderline as to needing cholesterol reducing drugs, so i don't eat eggs as a regular part of my diet, but i'll eat them now and then without feeling too guilty.

So are you saying the good stuff found in eggs for muscle growth come purely from the whites?

How would one separate the white from the yolk in eating? Is it just a case of cooking it then cutting the yolk out?

 

[Johns Magic]

is high cholesterol hereditary?

Often it is apparently

 

[Twizzle]

is high cholesterol hereditary?

can be, but not always

 

[roopy]

Another thing i do to reduce the risk of cholesterol clogging my arteries is to take cardiprin, which is basically a small dose of aspirin.
My doctor approves of this, and either though you can buy cardiprin off the shelf in chemists and maybe even supermarkets, you really should understand the risks before taking it.
The aspirin reduces the clotting factors in your blood, which reduces the chance of cholesterol glogging up your arteries, but it also makes you more likely to bleed to death if you have a major accident, causes stomach problems in many people (although the cardiprin are coated so they don't dissolve in the stomach supposedly), and anyone having surgery should not take aspirin for a week before.
It only costs about 5 dollar for 3 months worth, so it is a cheap, effective and safe measure that many people take - but even though it's a very mild drug thats been used for centuries and the dose needed is about a tenth of what you'd take for a headache - you still need to understand it potentially has a few negative effects.
Most middle aged doctors i know take cardiprin.
If you always take it with food, don't have gastric reflux, indigestion or ulcers, and you tell someone if you have an accident - it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[roopy]

So are you saying the good stuff found in eggs for muscle growth come purely from the whites?

How would one separate the white from the yolk in eating? Is it just a case of cooking it then cutting the yolk out?

separating out the yolks is a skill, but not that hard to learn - you basically crack the egg over a bowl trying to crack it right down the middle, and pour the yolk from one half of the shell to the other till all the white is in the bowl and the yolk is still in the shell.
I've been told you can buy egg white at the supermarket by itself, but i've never seen it.

 

[TooheysNew]

separating out the yolks is a skill, but not that hard to learn - you basically crack the egg over a bowl trying to crack it right down the middle, and pour the yolk from one half of the shell to the other till all the white is in the bowl and the yolk is still in the shell.
I've been told you can buy egg white at the supermarket by itself, but i've never seen it.

Freezer section near the pastry and stuff.

You can also buy a little plastic thing from the supermarket that separates the egg for you. You crack it into it, and it has a little cup that holds the yolk and lets the white flow over the sides. It's easy to learn to separate them using just the shell though.

 

[Dutchy]

Good advice nurse loopy.

 

[roopy]

Good advice nurse loopy.

glad you approve, strange young fellow with chip on shoulder.

 

[Desert Qlder]

So are you saying the good stuff found in eggs for muscle growth come purely from the whites?

How would one separate the white from the yolk in eating? Is it just a case of cooking it then cutting the yolk out?

Obviously you've never made meringue.

Separating egg yolks and egg whites is a bit of an art form, and you need gentle hands. It may take a few times to get it right but give this method a try.

You basically need to crack an egg into one of your hands, and the idea is to let the egg yolk rest in the middle of your four fingers. Your fingers need to be apart and your hand should be over a bowl. You then gently rock the egg in your hands and by doing this the white will fall between your fingers until you are left with nothing but one yellow yolk in your hand.

Do as you wish with the yolk at this point. Good luck ;-).

 

[Valderon]

Anyone with a solid scientific knowledge on the matter would be greatly appreciated, because I'd love to get back into eggs if cholesterol isn't a factor.

I haven't looked into this yet, so what I'm saying is pure speculation.

Though, I believe it's the egg-whites that are the 'healthy' element of an Egg; and the yolk which carries the cholesterol.

For the record, high cholesterol readings refer to LDL cholesterol; in total, and in relation to HDL. In other words, there are ways to reduce LDL cholesterol, and ways to increase HDL cholesterol -- (LDL = bad!, HDL = good!)

I have tonnes of journal subscriptions; so I'll look into this for you, out of curiosity to what research has found.

 

[IanG]

It's not the eggs so much it's what you have with them