Which eggs are best?

(Full Spike) - The great egg debate. This is a topic where experts rarely agree on anything, so we will just cover the facts rather than varying opinions.

Benefits of Eggs

Most of the nutritional benefits of eggs lie within the yolk, but we know the cholesterol stories spook alot of people from eating the yolk. Fear not! According to the American Heart Association, one egg per day (Yolk and all) is okay for most people. Make sure your daily cholesterol intake doesn't exceed 300 mg. So, here is what you should know about eggs.

Egg Benefits

• Protein (Whole eggs have the highest biological value (BV) of protein)
• Vitamin A (Yolk Only)
• Vitamin B2 (Yolk and White)
• Vitamin B12 (Yolk Only)
• Vitamin D (Yolk Only)
• Iron (Yolk Only)

Egg White vs. Egg Yolk

Questions Answered: Which is better - Egg whites or Egg Yolks?

Egg Whites

Egg white is the clear liquid within an egg known as the albumen or the glair/glaire. It is rich in proteins, and contains almost no fat (unlike egg yolk) It's primary purpose is to protect the egg yolk and provide additional nutrients to the embryo to help growth. Egg whites have about the same amount of protein as the egg yolk, and the riboflavin is equal in white and yolk. 2/3 of the total egg's weight (out of shell) comes from the egg white, and 92% of that weight comes from water. The remaining weight comes from protein, minerals, fatty material, glucose and vitamins.

Proteins Found in Egg Whites (One 50g U.S. large egg)

Egg whites contain over 40 proteins. Below is a list of the major proteins by percentage.

• 54% Ovalbumin - (Nourishment - blocks digestive enzymes)
• 12% Ovotransferrin - (Binds iron)
• 11% Ovomucoid - (Blocks digestive enzymes)
• 4% Ovoglobulin G2
• 4% Ovoglobulin G3
• 3.5% Ovomucin
• 3.4% Lysozyme
• 1.5% Ovoinhibitor
• 1% Ovoglycoprotein
• 0.8% Flavoprotein
• 0.5% Ovomacroglobulin
• 0.05% Avidin
• 0.05% Cystatin

Egg Yolks

The egg yolk is the part of an egg that feeds the developing embryo. The egg yolk is a single cell prior to fertilization, and is one of the only single cells that cen been seen by the human eye.

Yolks are a major source of vitamins and minerals, but they contain every bit of the egg's fat and cholesterol, and approximately 1/5 of the egg's protein. The yolk comprises about 33% of the weight of an egg.

Hard Boiled Egg (1 egg)

Hard Boiled Egg Composition and Comparison

• 4-6g protein
• 77 calories
• 5g fat
• 2g saturated fat
• 2-3% calcium (RDA)
• 14% riboflavin (RDA)
• 11% vitamin B12 (RDA)
• 10% phosphorus (RDA)
• 22% mineral selenium (antioxidant to scavenge disease-causing free radicals)

Fried Egg (1 egg)

Hard Boiled Egg Composition and Comparison - Fried egg is slightly higher in iron. Butter, bacon grease or other saturated fat used for cooking adds to the eggs saturated fat content.

• 4-6g protein
• 90 calories
• 7g fat
• 2g saturated fat
• 2-3% calcium (RDA)
• 14% riboflavin (RDA)
• 11% vitamin B12 (RDA)
• 10% phosphorus (RDA)
• 22% mineral selenium (antioxidant to scavenge disease-causing free radicals)

Types of Eggs

Brown Shell Eggs

Brown shelled eggs are no different than white shelled eggs. The brown color just indicates that it came from a different breed of hen. Additionally, there is no nutritional advantage of brown shell eggs over white shelled, nor does it mean they are cage free, organic, or have a different taste compared to white shell. Again, they are the same, just a different color.

Organic Eggs

Where do organic eggs come from?

Organic Eggs come from chickens that are raised on organic feed, that live in a cage-free livin environment that is strictly regulated by National Organic Standards determined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Omega-3 (DHA) Eggs

What are Omega-3 Eggs?

Omega-3 eggs come from chickens that are fed a supplemented diet typically consisting of flax seed or some other source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Egg Grades

How are eggs graded and sized?

Egg are graded by both their interior and exterior qualities.

Note - If the USDA seal is not on the label, it was not inspected by the USDA. Producers and distributors are only required USDA inspection if they sell eggs produced by other farms, or if their flocks exceed more than 3,000 hens.

Interior Grade

The interior of eggs are judged by using a backlight technique where the egg's interior can be assessed by quantity and quality of yolk and white within the shell. The old technique was called candling, where the egg was held up in front of a candle light to see the egg's interior.

Exterior Grade

The exterior of an egg is judged using a heuristic method, where it's visually inspected for external imperfections.

The Verdict - Which egg is better for Bodybuilding?

So, what is the best eggs for bodybuilding? Scrambled, boiled or raw? Our vote goes to the HARD BOILED EGG hands down, and here's why:

• Easier to handle
• Easier to seperate the white from the yolk
• Faster to eat
• Cleaner preparation
• 2g less fat
• Same vitamins and minerals