Long accused of raising cholesterol, eggs are now everywhere in nutritional recommendations. But the way you cook them can change everything.
Can we eat it every day?
Good news, eggs are one of the most nutritionally interesting foods. And they remain economical (when they are on the shelves). Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist, recalls that they are an excellent source of complete proteins, essential for maintaining muscle mass, satiety and the proper functioning of the body. But that’s not all.
“Eggs are also rich in vitamin A, vitamin D, very rare in the diet, as well as choline, an essential nutrient for the brain and liver”explains the specialist.
They also provide B group vitamins, involved in energy production and the proper functioning of the nervous system.
But can we include it every day in our menu? “Yes, you can eat it every day, as long as you vary your diet to cover all of your nutritional needs.specifies Alexandra Murcier. In other words, eggs can be part of a daily diet, as long as you don’t just eat them.
What are the healthiest cooking options?
However, not all eggs should be put in one basket, and not all ways of preparing them are equal. For the expert, the secret to healthy egg cooking is in one word: gentleness.
“Eggs naturally contain fats, including
polyunsaturated fatty acidsvery beneficial for cardiovascular health. The problem ? Cooking at high temperatures oxidizes lipids and degrades certain vitamins”explains Alexandra Murcier.
The best options are therefore:
- Boiled or soft-boiled eggs. “The yolk remains undercooked, which preserves the good fatty acids, vitamins and anti-oxidant properties of the egg” ;
- Poached eggs. Same advantage: no added fat and gentle cooking that respects the nutritional value. “These are the most interesting cooking options from a health point of view.” insists the dietitian.
The hard-boiled egg, for its part, remains a correct choice, especially since it can be prepared in advance for balanced dishes. “But we are already losing some of the vitamins, especially those from group B.”tempers Alexandra Murcier. It’s not the healthiest.
What are the least healthy cooking options?
On the other hand, certain cooking methods, although appreciated, can also make the egg much less healthy. This is because of a very specific rule “the higher the temperature and the more fat we add, the more the egg loses its qualities” not the expert.
Fried, fried and scrambled eggs are therefore the most problematic.
In these versions, the fats in the egg oxidize, advanced glycation products (pro-inflammatory compounds) form, and the addition of butter or oil greatly increases calories.
“Scrambled eggs are particularly affected by this last point. A single tablespoon of oil or butter can add more than 100 calories to the plate, with no real nutritional benefit”.
Result: a preparation that is much more caloric and less protective for health than it seems.
And if I have cholesterol, can I eat eggs ?
Eggs have long been accused of raising blood cholesterol, but this idea is now largely outdated.
For the majority of people, dietary cholesterol from eggs has little impact on blood cholesterol. What matters most are:
- Saturated fats;
- The overall quality of the diet;
- Consumption of fiber, vegetables and minimally processed products.
In short: there is no need to ban eggs. It is better to favor gentle cooking, avoid frying and take care of your entire diet.