3 breakfast recipes from a nutritionist

Packed with protein and healthy fats, eggs are an incredibly efficient and versatile food, so it’s no wonder that many people love to eat eggs for breakfast, and some even eat them every day.

Unfortunately, eggs have also come under scrutiny nutritionally, with opinion changing dramatically over the past decade, particularly over cholesterol concerns. So are there any downsides to starting your day with eggs so often? The answer depends on your personal health goals and needs, nutritionists tell TODAY.com.

“I tell people, you can eat eggs every day,” says Grace DeRocha, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “It just depends on how you prepare the eggs and how you get the other nutrients.”

So if you like eating eggs for breakfast, you’re probably choosing the healthiest, or at least healthiest, option.ier — How to enjoy eggs. You don’t have to eat them that way every time you eat them, but if you love eating eggs, these tips are good to remember.

Egg Nutrition

One large egg contains:

• 72 calories
• 6.2 g Protein
• 5 grams of fat, of which about 1.6 grams are saturated
• 0 grams sugar
• 0 g Carbohydrates

However, egg yolks and egg whites actually contain very different nutrients.

The biggest difference between eggs, says DeRocha, is that egg whites contain protein and minimal calories, while egg yolks contain fat and more calories, meaning they contain both saturated fat and beneficial omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Egg whites contain protein as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B12, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, Whitney Linsenmeyer, PhD, an assistant professor at Saint Louis University and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told TODAY.com.

Meanwhile, experts say egg yolks contain important antioxidants, including zeaxanthin and lutein, which may boost eye health, and choline, which may benefit brain and bone health. “Eggs are one of the highest sources of choline in the typical American diet,” Linsenmeyer adds.

Additionally, the yolk contains the fat-soluble vitamins found in eggs, including vitamins A, D, E and K, Linsenmeyer says. It also provides the B vitamins found in egg whites, as well as minerals like calcium, potassium and zinc, Linsenmeyer says.

Can you eat eggs for breakfast every day?

There has been scientific debate about whether eggs are healthy, but experts now generally agree that most people can eat eggs as many times as they want each day.

But people who are limiting saturated fat, especially those with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, may want to watch how many eggs they’re eating, Linsenmeyer says. Specifically, they might be interested in limiting or cutting egg yolks from their diet.

Egg yolks are known to contain “significant amounts” of saturated fat, Linsenmeyer says, so by eating only egg whites, you can still get a decent amount of protein without consuming fat — but you’ll also miss out on the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in egg yolks, which may be beneficial for heart health. You’ll also miss out on the rich flavor of the yolk.

That’s why DeRocha recommends that patients who are concerned about saturated fats mix the egg yolk with the egg white and increase their intake of egg whites — for example, one egg yolk for every two egg whites.

She also says that satiety is something to consider, as the added fat from the yolk can make you feel fuller and more satisfied than just eating the white.

What’s the healthiest way to eat eggs for breakfast?

Eggs are so versatile that you can easily make them high or low in nutritional value.

If you eat eggs frequently, keep two factors in mind:

Cooking method

Experts say the way eggs are cooked can affect their nutritional value, especially if fats or oils are added.

Some people like to cook their eggs in animal fats like butter or bacon grease, but these are high in saturated fats. “These ingredients can add flavor to eggs, but are they really necessary?” says DeRocha.

In general, experts recommend sticking to healthier cooking oils like olive oil or avocado oil, and if you’re concerned about calories, using an oil spray can help you cut down on calories even more, says DeRocha.

Alternatively, you can choose to cook your eggs without adding fat, such as poaching or boiling them.

Additional materials

The nutritional value of an egg breakfast doesn’t just come from the eggs themselves — what you eat with them is also crucial, experts say — and the more ways you can find to mix nutritious vegetables, fruits, and whole grains into your egg-based breakfast, the better.

On one end of the spectrum, for example, you might have a quiche with a buttery crust, scrambled eggs with bacon and cheese, or eggs fried in butter. Compare this to, say, an omelet made with leafy greens, poached eggs on whole-grain toast, a grab-and-go hard-boiled egg and fruit, or a breakfast taco with avocado and fiber-rich black beans.

All of these can be part of a healthy diet, but think about how often you eat eggs for breakfast, and if you do, try to eat fruits and vegetables more often and save the bacon and cheese quiche for a weekend treat.

What about organic, cage-free and other eggs?

When you look at eggs at the grocery store, you may see a lot of labels like these:

• organic
• Non-GMO
• Cage-Free
• Free range
• Grass-fed

If animal welfare is a concern for you, take a moment to understand what these labels actually mean for the hens that lay your eggs and how they are regulated.

Independent organizations like A Greener World and Humane Farm Animal Care also rate eggs based on their own animal welfare standards, and depending on your values ​​and budget constraints, these labels may influence which eggs you buy.

But nutritionally speaking, an egg is an egg, experts say, and you can expect to get essentially the same amounts of nutrients no matter what the label on the box says.

The only exceptions are “enriched” or “fortified” eggs, which experts say contain higher amounts of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than regular eggs.

Try these delicious egg recipes for breakfast: