6 Common Egg Myths, Cracked

If you didn’t know, October 13th is World Egg Day, an occasion we can take a moment to celebrate eggs and all their nutritious glory. Whether you like your eggs scrambled, hard-boiled or fried, they are an instant source of essential vitamins – not to mention pretty delicious. But there are a number of egg facts out there that commonly get turned into myths.

The folks over at Australian Eggs have provided us with some of the most commonly held beliefs about eggs and why they aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Common egg facts and myths busted

You should only eat eggs a few times per week

As part of a balanced diet the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends daily inclusions of eggs alongside foods like lean meat, poultry, nuts, seeds and legumes.

This amount can vary depending on age and gender but the most common recommendation, according to Australian Eggs, is two and a half serves per day. This equates to around two large eggs (120g).
Eating eggs daily can increase the risk of heart disease
For anyone thinking that too many eggs can lead to risks of heart disease, this one has been debunked by the National Health & Medical Research Council’s Australian Dietary Guidelines, which advise that eating eggs daily is not associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Instead, it’s more important to ensure you’re eating a diet low in saturated fats.

It’s healthier to only eat egg whites
You’ll hear a lot about egg whites being used in protein shakes and recipes and, while they are a great source of protein, riboflavin and selenium, a lot of the egg’s nutrients (and almost half of its protein) are actually found in the yolk.
Organic and free-range eggs are better for you

According to the experts at Australian Eggs “there are no nutritional differences between organic, free-range and standard eggs. The only nutritional differences in eggs come from those laid by hens with special-fed diets, such as omega-3-enriched eggs.”
You can’t eat eggs if you have diabetes

If any diabetics are worried they cannot indulge in the wonder of eggs, rest assured you can. Diabetes Australia points to the Australian Dietary Guidelines which stake that “there do not appear to be any increased health risks with consumption of eggs.”

The Heart Foundation also advises that people with diabetes can enjoy up to 7 eggs per week as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern.

Crack your eggs on the side of a bowl

A small additional myth we’d like to add to the list is the method of cracking your eggs when cooking. Commonly, you’ll be tempted to crack your shell on the side of a bowl, however, as our friends at Australia Eggs have pointed out, this means “you often crack both the shell and the protective membrane separating the shell and yolk – leading to bits of shell falling in the bowl. That’s not desirable, or hygienic”.

Now that you’ve got your eggs in a row it’s time to go out and enjoy everything they have to offer on World Egg Day!

Lead Image Credit: iStock