EGGS – Not just for breakfast anymore?

A sweaty gym-goer rattling their noisy protein shaker before chugging a post-workout shake is a common sight in any gym.

Now, not to diss the protein shake (as it offers a quick, easy, portable dose of all important protein) but what ever happened to the humble egg? Hard-boiled eggs, after all, are quick, easy, portable AND a heck of a lot cheaper than protein powder.

So why eat an egg post-workout, or at any other time for that matter?

– Eggs are high in protein, offering all the essential amino acids (those that can not be created within the human body and need to be included in the diet) to assist in growth and repair. Each whole egg provides over 6g of protein, and the protein they offer is easily digested by the human body.

– Eggs contain numerous vitamins and minerals: retinol, folic acid, choline, iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and B12.  A whole egg offers all vitamins, except for vitamin C!

– Eggs are inexpensive. You can buy them at your local supermarket from about 20c per egg, which means you’re paying about 3c per gram of protein. In comparison to protein powders which cost up to 20c per gram of protein; eggs are a bargain!

-They are filling. The combination of protein and fat that eggs contain make them a satisfying snack.

– Eggs are versatile. They can be boiled, poached, scrambled, baked or fried and go with most other foods. They are tasty eaten on their own, or mixed through salads, pastas, stir-frys, rice and in sandwiches.

– They taste great, and hard-boiled eggs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Although eggs have been given a bad wrap in the past due to their fairly high fat content (around 7g in a whole boiled egg) and their cholesterol content (approximately 200mg, 2/3 of the recommended daily intake) more recent studies suggest that this dietary cholesterol may have minimal affect  on an individual’s cholesterol levels. That said, when monitoring calorie and fat intake for weight loss or other reasons, it is important to acknowledge the fat content of eggs.

All in all, they are an eggcelent addition to a healthy diet! (Sorry, i had to).

Felicity