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An “Eggs-traordinary” Food for Eye Health

http://blog.drdavidwilliams.com/blog/digestive-health-guidance/an-eggs-traordinary-food-for-eye-health

Much of the public is brainwashed with the idea that eggs are dangerous because of their high cholesterol content. Nothing could be further from the truth. Eggs are one of nature’s most complete foods and an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.

The yolk of the egg contains lecithin—which is not only is a key building block of cell membranes, but also a fat emulsifier. Due largely to an egg’s lecithin content, researchers have demonstrated that the carotenoid present in eggs, called lutein, is more readily absorbed into the bloodstream than lutein from other sources. (The lecithin in eggs also balances out the high cholesterol content of the egg.)

In fact, research from Tufts University has now shown that the concentration of lutein in the blood serum of volunteers was three times greater after eating eggs than after consuming the same amount of lutein from other sources—including cooked spinach and two varieties of lutein supplements.

Lutein is concentrated in the retina and the lens of the eye, and numerous studies have shown a link between it and the incidence and progression of various eye diseases—particularly cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in older Americans). I wouldn’t be surprised if the widespread incidence of both of these problems in the older population were linked to the “cholesterol scare” and the recommendations from doctors to avoid eggs for the last 20-plus years.

As we get older, many nutrients and foods can be harder to digest. Lutein may be one of these. While I still strongly suggest the regular use of good daily supplements, never forget that nature has a way of combining the various antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids into foods that make them more readily available to our bodies. One of these foods is the egg.

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