The egg, the symbol of birth, of life and, therefore, of spring has been celebrated by numerous cultures at this time of the year. Eggs were given as gifts at spring festivals in ancient Egypt, Greece, Persia and Rome. They were often dyed red to symbolize the power of the womb. Eggs, of course, still play an important role in our springtime holidays, but the real power comes from handling and eating eggs at this time of year. It is said that at the exact moment of the Equinox an egg can be balanced on its end because the earth is at its ultimate balance point (if you try it, write me and let me know how it went!) So what does the egg have to offer us nutritionally? Eggs for Balance Despite the decline in egg consumption, they still make " ... important nutritional contributions to the American diet," according to Dr. Won O. Song, PhD, and Jean M. Kerver, MS, of the Food and Nutrition Database Research Center, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University. They are nutritious, tasty, versatile and convenient. Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality lean protein and are far less expensive than most other animal-protein foods. Eggs also provide significant amounts of several vitamins and minerals (vitamin A, riboflavin, and others). Although eggs contain a significant amount of cholesterol, they need not be excluded from the diet. They just need to be eaten with education: In 1 large egg, the yolk contains 5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fatty acids, 213 milligrams cholesterol, and 60 calories. The egg white contains 15 calories. Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods you can eat. However, it is important that you eat organic eggs. This is not necessarily cage-free or "free range" eggs. According to Dr. Mercola of www.mercola.com, An egg is considered organic if the chicken was only fed organic food and will not have bioaccumulated high levels of pesticides from the grains (mostly bioengineered corn) fed to typical chickens. For more detailed nutrition information, check out Nutrient Value of Eggs at http://www.enc-online.org/eggnutr.htm by the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC). |
