The Battle Between the Egg White Vs. the Yolk

culled from:morningcoach.com

This afternoon, I returned from a 6-mile run on a beautiful nature trail here in Northern California, and decided to make some lunch. I needed something quick and easy, yet satisfying, since I was completely famished. So naturally, I opened the fridge and the first thing that stared back at me was a carton of eggs. I quickly created a vivid picture in my mind of some scrambled eggs with hot sauce, some leftover steamed broccoli and a side of dry sprouted grain toast.
As I was gathering all of the necessary ingredients, I was thinking about how delicious the eggs were going to be. And then I started thinking about eggs in general. All you hear and see now in fitness articles, restaurants, even in people’s conversations is egg whites, egg whites, egg whites. It’s almost as if the yolk is considered poison now-people get so frantic about it!
Now, don’t get me wrong-as a fitness fanatic myself, I do tend to eat egg-whites more often than not. Yes, they’re high in protein and healthy. But I also believe in balance and real life. And the reality is –egg yolks are not going to kill you and, in fact, contain some really important nutrients/health benefits that we need including:

• Choline – an essential mineral for cardiovascular and brain function. Having an adequate supply of it helps reduce inflammation, prevent heart disease, diabetes, and more.
• Vitamins A, D, E, K, calcium, phosphorous, zinc, folate, B6, B12
• Omega-3’s – heart-healthy long chain fatty acids that are essential for brain function, retinal function, healthy skin, hair, growth.
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin – major antioxidants that protect the eyes and help prevent vision problems like macular degeneration

Can you believe all of these benefits exist in that tiny, tasty little yellow circle?
The main reason people have been freaking out over yolks is because it contains cholesterol. But you know what? A LOT of foods contain cholesterol, in much larger quantities than in a tiny egg or 2, so it’s really not a reason to panic.
The other main reason to avoid the yolks is if one is trying to cut weight for an athletic event, weight goal, etc. And I get that. When every calorie counts to get to your goal, then, yea, you have to cut corners where you can. But other than that, live a little bit. I tend to follow a 2:1 ratio – so if I’m having a 3-egg omelette for example, I’ll do 2 egg-whites to 1 full egg.
It’s really all about balance and moderation. So go ahead and have a yolk. It’s an egg-cellent way to get more nutrients into your body