Health & Life

What Happens To Your Body When You Eat 1 Egg Every Morning? Should You Ditch the Yolk?

Eggs are a nutritious food but can cause negative health effects if not handled properly.

3 May, 2024

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Eggs are considered a nutritious food, rich in proteins and essential amino acids, according to nutritionists. Eggs are also rich in lecithin, a beneficial fat that helps balance cholesterol levels in the blood. Therefore, healthy individuals can consume one egg per day.

What Happens to Your Body When You Eat a Boiled Egg Every Morning?

Provides Sufficient Protein for the Body

A boiled egg serves as a rich source of protein, low in fat, and low in calories, with each egg providing about 6 grams of protein. This helps the body receive the necessary protein, supporting the maintenance and growth of muscles and other tissues.

Improves Immunity

Boiled eggs contain many important nutrients such as vitamins D, E, A, and these vitamins contribute to improving the body’s immune system, helping to defend against various diseases.

Promotes Metabolism

Boiled eggs are a plentiful source of B vitamins and phosphorus. B vitamins play a vital role in stimulating metabolic activities in the body, while phosphorus helps build and maintain bones and teeth, and supports the body’s effective absorption and utilization of other nutrients.

Reduces Blood Sugar

Boiled eggs contain a high amount of phosphorus, which has the ability to control the absorption of sugar in the body effectively, helping to reduce blood sugar levels and playing a supportive role in the prevention of diabetes.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Boiled eggs contain a high content of unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial in increasing the levels of good cholesterol and reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Boiled eggs contain many unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial in increasing the levels of good cholesterol

Are Eggs an “Accelerator” for Hypercholesterolemia?

There is an opinion that eating egg yolks may not be good due to their high cholesterol content, while others argue that egg yolks contain vital nutrients. These are contrasting viewpoints and often cause confusion for patients with high blood cholesterol levels when deciding whether to eat eggs or just the egg whites.

Many modern studies have found that blood cholesterol levels depend not only on diet but are also closely related to lifestyle and physical activity, and are not entirely influenced by the amount of dietary cholesterol consumed.

According to Mr. Quach Nghe Phuong, Deputy Director of Bac Giang Provincial People’s Hospital, the human body has the ability to regulate in two directions: when the amount of cholesterol entering the body is high, the liver itself will reduce the synthesis rate of cholesterol, helping to balance cholesterol levels in the body. Eating one egg per day is not significant in raising blood cholesterol levels. He also emphasized that egg yolks are very nutritious, containing vitamins and lecithin that are beneficial to health, and eating only egg whites is unnecessary.

However, for people with high cholesterol levels, controlling their diet is still very important. They should avoid foods high in saturated fatty acids such as lean meats, animal fats, poultry skin, and vegetable oils containing high amounts of trans fatty acids, such as palm oil or coconut oil, as they can negatively affect lipid control.

Eating one egg per day is not significant in raising blood cholesterol levels

Signs of Hypercholesterolemia to Watch Out For

According to information from the “2023 Chinese Lipid Management Guidelines”, up to 35.6% of adults in China are facing lipid-related issues, with more than 1/3 of the adult population suffering from this disorder.

Lipid disorders are often likened to a “silent killer” in the medical field, as they do not cause early warning symptoms. In spite of this, it relentlessly damages the vascular system. To detect it early, it is necessary to pay attention to 4 warning signs that require immediate treatment:

Leg Cramps at Night

High blood lipid levels can cause the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries, hindering the metabolism and removal of waste products in the legs. This can accumulate lactic acid and other substances in the muscles, leading to abnormal contractions and cramps during rest at night.

Skin and Toenail Changes

When lipid levels in the blood are high, spots of color may appear on the skin surface in areas such as the abdomen, knees, and elbows, resembling xanthomas.

High lipid levels also slow down blood circulation, causing the skin to not receive enough nutrients, leading to dryness and peeling. Toenails will also become thin, brittle, and change in color, and vertical and horizontal cracks may appear.

Difficulty in Wound Healing

The increase of lipids in the blood can hinder the absorption of nutrition by the tissues in the lower part of the body, causing the synthesis of protein and other necessary components to be affected. This, coupled with the accumulation of metabolic waste products, reduces the self-repair capacity of the tissue.

Numbness in the Legs and Irregular Aches

Unexplained numbness in the legs and irregular twinges of pain may not only stem from a lack of calcium but can also be a consequence of high blood cholesterol levels, as cholesterol accumulates in the nearby muscles, causing negative effects on the muscles.

Frequently asked questions

Protein Source: Provides sufficient protein for the body, with approximately 6 grams per egg, and is low in fat and calories.
Boosts Immunity: Contains vitamins D, E, and A, which improve the body’s immune system.
Promotes Metabolism: Rich in B vitamins and phosphorus, stimulating metabolic activities and supporting bone health.
Reduces Blood Sugar: High phosphorus content controls sugar absorption, helping to lower blood sugar levels.
Improves Cardiovascular Health: Contains unsaturated fatty acids, increasing good cholesterol and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

There are mixed opinions. Some believe that egg yolks, due to their high cholesterol content, may not be beneficial, while others argue that they contain vital nutrients. Modern studies suggest that blood cholesterol levels are influenced not only by diet but also by lifestyle and physical activity.

Healthy individuals can consume one egg per day without significantly raising blood cholesterol levels, according to experts.

Leg Cramps at Night: High blood lipid levels can cause atherosclerotic plaques in arteries, affecting metabolism and waste removal in the legs.
Skin and Toenail Changes: Spots may appear on the skin, resembling xanthomas, and toenails may become thin, brittle, and discolored.
Slow Wound Healing: Increased blood lipids hinder absorption of nutrition by lower body tissues, affecting protein synthesis and self-repair capacity.
Numbness and Aches: High cholesterol can accumulate in muscles, causing numbness and irregular pain in the legs.