How many eggs can you eat and which ones are healthier?

It is such a basic food that in some cases it is not given the importance that it has. However, Egg is one of the most important food products.. But knowing which one we buy is not always easy. For this reason, the European Commission recently published three rules updating egg marketing standards throughout the EU. So, one of the new products is change in names some production systems in a container that are created as code 0: organic eggs; code 1: free-range eggs; code 2: eggs from free-range hens and code 3: eggs from hens raised in air-conditioned cages.. “This will help maintain market unity, traceability throughout the chain and improve the information offered to Spanish consumers, solving some practical problems,” he assures. Enrique Diaz Hubero

Director of the Interprofessional Organization for Eggs and Egg Products (Inprovo).

Now the million dollar question for many consumers is how much better one egg is than another depending on how it was raised. In this sense, Fiorella Palmamember of the nutrition department of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN), assures that “Eggs from floor-raised hens generally have a more favorable nutritional profile in terms of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants compared to eggs from cage-raised hens. This is mainly due to differences in the diet and living conditions of the chickens. But first of all, in organic it should be noted that there are no residues of pesticides and antibiotics, which makes them healthier. And, as stated Giuseppe Russolillo, member of the General Council of Official Colleges of Dietitians and President of the Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “there is not much difference between the cell and the sex, both of which cause a significant strain on production. The most recommended model would be a free-range or organic chicken egg. In general, they nourish us the same way, but some provide greater health benefits than others.

In any case, both experts agree that the egg is an excellent food from a nutritional point of view, given that Provides essential nutrients with low calorie intake. “In practice, we classify it as a protein food because it is an excellent source of protein, both in quantity (six to seven grams of protein) and quality, as it is a source of essential amino acids such as leucine or tryptophan. “Details of Palma.

Given the fear of gaining weight, Palma recalls that “a large egg contains about five grams of fat, of which only 1.5 grams are saturated. In addition, they are rich in vitamins (A, D and B), minerals such as iron and phosphorus. And it is a major source of choline, a type of vitamin responsible for important brain functions, cognitive function and memory.

Thus, Russolillo advises taking “two to four eggs a week, although there are those who can eat up to eight a week without harming their cholesterol.” In this sense, Palma insists that “A healthy person can eat one egg a day, especially if the alternative contains more cholesterol than the egg itself.

Only in certain pathological situations, such as hypercholesterolemia, heart attack or a history of cardiovascular disease, are low-cholesterol diets generally recommended, which usually require a reduction in egg consumption by three to four times per week.

And when we take them, “Boiled or steamed is usually the best option, although to take full advantage of the protein’s benefits it must be eaten cooked as digestion of raw protein can be reduced by up to 50% compared to cooked.”SEEN representative clarifies.