The 250 mg of cholesterol in egg WILL send cholesterol levels through the roof – so oatmeal is best. When tested head-2-head, surprisingly eggs trump oat meal.
Networking over breakfast…………..
It is something many business people do – me included. At one of my regular haunts, the breakfast is marketed as
An egg on toast or a healthy option.
The healthy option is an oat based possibility – muesli in summer, porridge in winter.
The “health” conscious networkers, typically pick the oat breakfast, shunning the egg option – publically announcing, they cannot have an egg breakfast, because they’re “WATCHING” their cholesterol. This public declaration, frequently causes other networkers to change their choice, even though the egg breakfast, would be good for business.
Ironically, the egg option is not “unhealthy”, in fact, it might be the better choice – especially for people who are, “WATCHING” their cholesterol. This is what a team of Mexican researchers discovered, when they pitted egg breakfasts, against oatmeal breakfasts.
The breakfast club
The team enlisted the help of 33 type 2 diabetics from the city of Hermosillo, in Mexico. The volunteers were a very ordinary bunch, ranging in age from 35 – 65 years, their sugar levels were “under” control, none had experienced a serious cardiac event, but they were on meds, designed to prevent such an eventuality. The meds included metformin and insulin, as well as blood pressure lowering medications and statins.
As I said…………….. a rather average bunch of people.
The team made no attempt to cut calories or bump up physical activity, all they asked the volunteers to do, was eat two different breakfasts.
- Breakfast # 1 : an egg based breakfast
- Breakfast # 2 : an oat based breakfast
To make it easy to comply, the team provided them with the ingredients, but left it up to the volunteers to serve it up.
Inside breakfast
Being Mexican, the egg option was most often accompanied by a tortilla or two, with some vegetables on the side. Although, a few volunteers, scrambled their egg and popped it on a slice or two of bread.
The egg in the egg breakfast provided
8 g of protein, 6.8 g of fat, 0.3 g of carbohydrates and…………………250 mg cholesterol.
The oatmeal option, included 40 g of oatmeal, along with 2 cups of lactose-free milk, this provided
5.5 g of protein, 3.6 g of fat, 23.6 g of carbohydrate and………………3.2 g of fibre.
The fibre in oatmeal is “special”, the beta-glucan gives oatmeal it’s health properties, which include the ability to reduce LDL-cholesterol and it slows the sugar spike.
I’ll have …..for breakfast
All the volunteers consumed both breakfasts……
Some started with option number 1, which they consumed for a period of 5 weeks, this was followed by a 3 week holiday from the study. During the “holiday”, they ate whatever they liked for breakfast, before switching over to option number 2, for a further 5 weeks. Others started with option number 2, switching to option number 1, as the study progressed.
A few gave up along the way. One volunteer, just couldn’t get into the groove.
I did say, these folks were very ordinary.
The team kept tabs on the participants physical activity and meds, just to make sure, nothing changed in these departments, which would impact on the final results.
So what happened ?
Breakfast showdown
The 250 mg of cholesterol MUST have sent their cholesterol levels through the roof.
Mmmmmmm. Not exactly.
There was more-or-less no difference between health parameters.
- Weight – was the same.
- Sugar levels – were the same.
- Insulin levels and insulin resistance – was the same.
- Cholesterol levels – were the same.
At least……………… statistically speaking, eating an egg for breakfast, was pretty much the same as eating oatmeal for breakfast.
Pretty much………..
Inflammation was down
The team did pick up a difference.
When the egg was on the menu, there was a decrease in the overall level of inflammation. This decrease was reflected by a decrease in one of the pro-inflammatory chemicals known as TNF-a.
This is significant.
Chronic low grade inflammation is the bad body chemistry, that underpins metabolic troubles, which lead to cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes.
An egg a day……..
The nutritional value of an egg is ASTOUNDING.
Remember, Mother Nature is putting together this package to ensure a baby chicken, gets all the nourishment it needs to grow up big and strong. By including eggs in your diet, you’re able to tap into this nutrient rich package. Good nutrition supports good body chemistry !
Don’t be afraid to have an egg or three, for breakfast.
Further reading
The more saturated fat you eat, the lower your blood fat levels
The fatty acid implicated in health troubles is palmitoleic acid. A diet high in carbs, raises their levels, a diet high in saturated fats, keeps them low.
Use body chemistry to improve your wheeling and dealing
If you want to close a deal quickly, you can supercharge the negotiation process, by feeding your prospect a meal, laced with trust serum.
Do breakfast if you want to help your egg princess escape
Altering WHEN food is around, creates better body chemistry, which helps trapped egg princesses escape the tyranny of their androgen oppressor in PCOS
Interested in learning more about the chemistry behind those extra fat layers ?
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