Posted on 07/06/2011 6:19:15 AM PDT by decimon
One of nature's most perfect foods may be even better for us than previously thought.
While eggs are well known to be an excellent source of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals, researchers at the University of Alberta recently discovered they also contain antioxidant properties, which helps in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Jianping Wu, Andreas Schieber and graduate students Chamila Nimalaratne and Daise Lopes-Lutz of the U of A Department of Agricultural Food and Nutritional Science examined egg yolks produced by hens fed typical diets of either primarily wheat or corn. They found the yolks contained two amino acids, tryptophan and tyrosine, which have high antioxidant properties.
After analyzing the properties, the researchers determined that two egg yolks in their raw state have almost twice as many antioxidant properties as an apple and about the same as half a serving (25 grams) of cranberries.
However, when the eggs were fried or boiled, antioxidant properties were reduced by about half, and a little more than half if the eggs were cooked in a microwave.
"It's a big reduction but it still leaves eggs equal to apples in their antioxidant value," said Wu.
The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Food Chemistry.
The discovery of these two amino acids, while important, may only signify the beginning of finding antioxidant properties in egg yolks, said Wu, an associate professor of agricultural, food and nutritional science.
"Ultimately, we're trying to map antioxidants in egg yolks so we have to look at all of the properties in the yolks that could contain antioxidants, as well as how the eggs are ingested," said Wu, adding that he and his team will examine the other type of antioxidant already known to be in eggs, carotenoids, the yellow pigment in egg yolk, as well as peptides.
In previous research, Wu found that egg proteins were converted by enzymes in the stomach and small intestines and produced peptides that act the same way as ACE inhibitors, prescriptions drugs that are used to lower high blood pressure.
That finding defied common wisdom and contradicted the public perception that eggs increased high blood pressure because of their high cholesterol content. Additional research by Wu suggests the peptides can be formulated to help prevent and treat hypertension.
Wu is convinced the peptides also have some antioxidant properties, which leads him to suggest that when he completes the next step in his research, the result will likely be that eggs have more antioxidant properties than we currently know.
There ya go, science at work, current guesswork pre-exempts previous guesses.
Your tax dollars at work.
That’s what my old friend told me many years ago. He was a German paratrooper in WW2. His favorite raid? A farmhouse for eggs.
Scrambled egg sammich with mayo....YUMMY!!!!
“Don’t forget a HGH chaser!”
What’s that?
They forgot the bacon!
All a media campaign paid for by the big egg producers to put out the little guy who couldn't withstand the drop in sales....after which time eggs became back in favor and the small egg producers are long gone.
My opinion, anyway...
You mean you throw the yolks away??????? Mix them with a little mayo some chopped onion and sweet pickles and you have created the food of the Gods!
I eat 2-3 eggs per day and am in excellent health other than needing to lose about 30#; but I am 6’3”, so it’s not that bad.
The thirty or forty year obsession with cholesterol and fats in food led to many incorrect conclusions about the effect of some foods on our health.
The cereals on the market are now so bad it would be better left for cattle use.
I switched back to eggs.
Achkhhh! Not a big yolk fan.
Globe is warming; Globe is cooling.
Cooper ping!
If you have only tried plain boiled yolks, I don’t blame you if you don’t like them. Try my recipe.
Indeed
I hope people remember this the next time the government tells you a food is bad for you that has been eaten for tens of thousands of years.
That’s pretty much the same recipe for deviled eggs at my GF’s family Sunday dinners. I’m not a fan of heavy egg yolk foods.
Human Growth Hormone.
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