Eating eggs means that you may be getting an ample amount of protein added to your diet. This is great for helping rebuild your body, and it can help you develop muscle. Not to mention, eggs may help keep your body healthy in general, such as losing fat and reducing inflammation levels.
However, while eggs as a whole can be wonderful, both egg whites and egg yolks can have different effects on your health.
Nutritionist Toby Amidor says there are a lot of surprising effects that can be gained from eating egg yolks, as reported by Eat This, Not That.
1. It may help your eye health
“Egg yolk contains the phytochemical lutein, which is also what gives the yolk its wonderful yellow colour,” Amidor says.
She adds that lutein has been linked to eye health. Specifically, lutein has been linked to preventing macular degeneration – the cause of vision loss, which can occur as you age.
2. Provides muscle building protein
“The yolk contains regarding half the protein in the whole egg,” Amidor says.
In general, a whole egg is rich in approximately 13% protein. If you eat one very large egg consisting of 7 grams of protein, 3 grams of it belongs to the yolk.
“Protein helps with a variety of functions, including building muscle, so don’t throw away the golden egg yolk,” according to Amidor.
3. May Help Heart Health
The certified nutritionist says that egg yolks also provide omega-3 fats, which have been shown to help promote heart health and reduce the risk of death from heart disease.
Amidor adds that some omega-3 fats have also been linked to the ability to kill cancer cells and may help treat arthritis.
4. May help with bone health
“Egg yolk is one of the only food sources of vitamin D,” which helps with calcium absorption — both of which help keep your bones healthy,” says the nutritionist.
It is important for both children and adults to get enough of this nutrient to prevent the risk of bone disease. This includes rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.
“In addition, vitamin D is an under-consumed nutrient in every population group according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” Amidor says.
