Nutrition Information


NUTRITION PROFILE \| HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN \| CHOLESTEROL NEWS Eggs are one of nature's most perfectly balanced foods, containing all the protein, vitamins (except vitamin C) and minerals essential for good health. Today's Large egg contains only one moderate amount of fat, with about 5 grams in the egg yolk (1.5 grams saturated), 213 mg of cholesterol and 75 calories.

-PERCENTAGE OF U.S. RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES:
10	Protein	15	Niacin	*
	Vitamin B6	4	Zinc	4
	Vitamin A	6	Calcium	2
	Folacin	8	Biotin	4
	Vitamin C	^*	Iron	6
	Vitamin B12	8	Pantothenic Acid	8
	Thiamin	4	Vitamin D	6
	Phosphorus	10	Copper	**2
	Riboflavin	10	Vitamin E	2
	Iodine	15	Magnesium	2

		^*Less than 2 percent of the USRDA ^**Percentage of estimated safe and adequate daily intake Sources: US Food and Drug Administration, USDA

-EGG NUTRITION PROFILE
	Calories	80
	Protein	6	.30	g
	Total Fat	5		g
	monounsaturated	2		g
	polyunsaturated		.07	g
	saturated fat	1	.50	g
	cholesterol	213		mg
	carbohydrates		.60	g
	sodium	63		mg

-HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN

Eggs have been considered the standard against which all other protein foods are measured because their protein composition is so ideal. Eggs are considered a complete protein because they contain all eight essential amino acids, or the "building blocks" of protein. Essential amino acids must be provided by the food we eat because our body cannot produce them. While providing 6.25 grams of the highest quality protein, each egg contains 10 percent of the U.S. RDA.

-GOOD NEWS ABOUT EGGS AND CHOLESTEROL

EGGCITING NEWS:
The American Heart Association's new guidelines now permit an egg a day, rather than only three a week.

Eggs can be an important part of an active person's diet. They are a good source of high quality protein and contain 13 vitamins and minerals. The latest scientific research shows that eating foods with cholesterol, such as eggs, does not significantly increase blood cholesterol levels in most people. We now know that the real culprit is saturated fat. So, if you are healthy and follow a low-fat diet, it's okay to enjoy eggs often, even every day.

While each egg white is fat and cholesterol free, yolks contain 213 milligrams of cholesterol (approximately 22% less cholesterol than previously thought) and 5 grams of total fat. Only 1.5 grams of the yolk's fat is saturated, the kind of fat that is most likely to increase blood cholesterol levels. In fact, compared with dietary cholesterol, saturated fat exerts a four times stronger influence on blood cholesterol levels.

CURRENT RESEARCH FINDINGS:
Recently published research actually saw an increase in the HDL or the "good" cholesterol levels of subjects who added an egg each day to their diet [Farrel et al. 1998. Am J Clin Nutr. 68: 538-544.].

The April 21st (1999) issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA1999;281:1387-1394) [1] reports a study by Hu and colleagues from the Harvard School of Public Health which found no relationship between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease in a population of over 117,000 nurses and health professionals followed for eight to fourteen years.

-CONTACT US

Georgia Egg Commission
P.O. Box 2929
Suwanee, GA 30024
Telephone: 770-932-4622
Fax: 770-932-4625
E-mail: goodeggs@bellsouth.net