Nutrition and Diet - The Egg Epic

In=20 today=92s society of supplements and meal replacements, eggs have = taken back=20 seat to the revolutionary concentrated, isolated and hydrolysed = whey,=20 which everyone seems to take religiously. The labels and adverts = that come=20 with these supplements have given a false belief to those without = better=20 knowledge that by simply training and taking these supplements = they too=20 will get the size of cover models. Lets face it, the models are = usually=20 frequent steroid users and have at least at one point in their = life eaten=20 the right foods to get where they are now, despite how clueless a = lot of=20 them are. Those with any sense, which comes quite rare these days, = will=20 without a doubt, just like their predecessors of the 50=92s, = 60=92s, 70=92s,=20 80=92s and 90=92s have used eggs as one of their first choices for = protein.=20
I=92m not saying that supplements are useless, but most are = overrated=20 and the general public never seem to realise that they are exactly = what=20 they are =96 supplements. They supplement a good diet. A good diet = includes=20 eggs. Wanna know more?

(Coincidentally, out of general = interest,=20 you may want to know that I=92m eating an omelette as I write=20 this=85)

Well, since this is an epic I suppose I best begin = with some=20 history. Nobody really knows when the first fowl was domesticated = because=20 birds preceded man in the evolutionary chain. Indian history = places the=20 date as early as 3200 B.C. and Egyptian and Chinese records show = that fowl=20 were laying eggs for man in 1400 B.C. Allegedly Columbus' ships = carried=20 the first of the chickens related to those now in egg production = to=20 America from Asia.

Before I move onto the bodybuilding and = health=20 benefits of eggs, I=92d just like to clarify a few things. Eggs = are graded=20 in a process called classification. This is determined by interior = and=20 exterior quality. It is designated by the letters AA [the = =93best=94], A and=20 B. An old wives tale is that to get the best protein you must go = for the=20 better quality eggs. I=92d like to be the one to inform you all = that there=20 is no difference in nutritive value between the different grades. = In fact,=20 because of production and marketing methods being very efficient, = eggs are=20 moved so quickly from the coop to the market that there is very = little=20 difference in quality between grades AA and A. The only real = difference is=20 the price. Grade B=92s are perfectly fine, but rarely find their = way into=20 retail supermarkets. They usually go to bakeries or other = foodservice=20 operations.

The egg itself has two distinct parts: the = white and=20 the yolk. It is common practice for bodybuilders to throw away the = yolk.=20 This can be for several reasons, the most notable being calorie = control.=20 Whites are the chosen protein source for their zero fat content = and trace=20 carbohydrate content. The nutrient breakdown of a large egg white = (33.40g)=20 as according to the USDA nutrient database is:

- 16.7 = kcals
-=20 3.514g protein
- 0.0g fat
- 0.344g = carbohydrates

The egg=20 white also contains several vitamins and minerals, which will be = discussed=20 later.

Other than calorie control, people remove the yolks = because=20 of it=92s fat content. The yolk is a very misunderstood part of = the egg.=20 People believe that fat is =91evil=92 and shouldn=92t be consumed, = or at least=20 that fat consumption should be kept to a minimum. This = misconception stems=20 from the fact that very few people can actually distinguish = between =91good=92=20 fats and =91bad=92 fats. Good fats are essential for any human, = not just=20 bodybuilders, hence their name =91essential fatty acids=92. =

How about=20 a quick lesson in fats? -->>

	The Egg=20 Epic
View all=20 articles by Robboe Written by :=20 Robboe print = article email=20 article

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