For years now, eggs have a history that is riddled by controversies, ever since they were deemed as a cholesterol-laden food. Fortunately, recent studies have gotten us back to the notion that our parents and grandparents have advocated for decades.
Despite the controversial nature of repercussions of eggs on your health, India's egg production will soon touch 100 billion annually from 90 billion per year, as the poultry sector is growing rapidly and becoming organised growing at six per cent annually, and the sector provides a lot of employment opportunity, and would help immensely in achieving the government’s target to double farmers’ income by 2022.
Having said that here are the common myths around eggs that need to be dispelled.
Myth 1: Eggs increase your blood cholesterol level
Reality: While measuring the impact of a food item on our blood cholesterol levels, saturated and trans-fat (the bad fats) levels should be taken into account. Studies have shown that saturated fats and cholesterol in eggs have little to no effect on cholesterol levels in your body.
Myth 2: Egg yolks are unhealthy
Reality: Egg yolks do contain more fat and cholesterol than egg whites, but studies over the last few decades have shown that a) not all fat is bad for you; and b) consuming foods high in cholesterol does not necessarily translate to having higher blood cholesterol, although there are still groups, especially diabetics and those with heart disease, who are recommended to abstain.
Myth 3: Every egg is a baby chicken
Fact: An egg is an egg, whether it has been fertilised or not. This is as true for chickens as it is for people. Women ovulate, and hens lay eggs. The majority of eggs for sale today are unfertilised and could not become chickens even if you wanted them to.
Myth 4: Having more than an egg a day can be detrimental to your health
Fact: Several recent studies have shown that you can now have up to three whole eggs per day if you are otherwise healthy without any cholesterol-related issues.
Myth 5: White eggs are healthier than brown eggs
Fact: Eggs come in several colours. Egg shells derive their colour from the pigments the hens produce. Hence, both white and brown have the same nutritional values and are healthy.
Myth 6: Eating eggs can cause heart diseases
Fact: Eating eggs have shown to have no link to heart diseases.
Myth 7: Buying eggs from local farmers is safer than purchasing them from the grocery store
Fact: Eggs come from chickens, and chickens harbour Salmonella bacteria. So there is no guarantee that the farmers’ market is a safer option as compared to the grocery store
(The author is vice-chairman and managing director, Srinivasa Farms Private Limited, and vice-chairman, IEC [International Egg Commission], UK)