My whole life, I have been a first hand witness to my fathers discriminatory actions against egg yolks. Believing that egg whites were the only healthy part of the egg, I've watched as he dropped egg yolk after egg yolk down the drain. I've asked him multiple times why he discards the yolks only to get the same two answers:
Eggs Can Kill?Honestly, I have no idea where my dad got the information that egg yolks are bad for you. Perhaps it was from one of his workout buddy at the gym or one of those headlines that state “Eggs Can Kill” or “Eggs Are Worse Than Smoking”. Whatever the case, he ended up with the conclusion that egg yolks were little time bombs waiting to skyrocket his cholesterol, clog his arteries and stop his heart. And while it is true that egg yolks contain cholesterol and fat, it's part of our essential nutrients – meaning that the cholesterol and fat contained in the yolks are considered the "good stuff" and not the “bad stuff”. Egg Yolk Benefits:
So why do Fitness Pros and Health Fanatics Tell Me to Throw the Yolk Out?Every now I'll hear fitness pros (or my dad) telling me to throw out the egg yolk. Why? Because the egg yolk contains 99% of the fat. The word “fat” is the boogeyman of the nutritional world. Back when low fat diets were all the rage, everyone was deathly afraid of fats believing that it was a direct link to heart disease. However, the reality is that fats aren’t bad; in fact actually we need them in order to survive– the good fats at least. It’s a good thing that egg yolks contain the good type. But What About Cholesterol? As I mentioned above, egg yolks are chalked full of nutrients, but what about their cholesterol? First of all, there is the issue of cholesterol and its connection to heart disease. It’s a complex issue that originated in studies in both animals and humans more than half a century ago. However, more recent (and higher quality evidence doesn’t support it). If you’re interested in learning the science of it all here is a website you should definitely check out: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-straight-dope-on-cholesterol-10-things-you-need-to-know-part-1/#axzz49izECF7V Otherwise here are the basics you need to know:
To Toss or Not to Toss – That is the QuestionHere’s a fun and short little video that summarizes and goes further into detail of everything I discussed above: Although I firmly stand behind my belief that egg yolks are beneficial to our health, it is still only my opinion. There are others out there who will disagree with my outlook and argue that eggs are tiny cholesterol bombs. The question is what do you believe? The choice is yours. Will you choose to eat the yolk or toss it? Sources: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/whats-the-big-deal-with-egg-yolks-anyway.html http://dailyburn.com/life/health/egg-whites-vs-eggs-healthy-choice/ http://www.shape.com/weight-loss/tips-plans/ask-diet-doctor-egg-whites-vs-whole-eggs http://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/10/11/the-nurtional-value-of-egg-whites-versus-egg-yolks-what-do-you-use/ http://www.prevention.com/content/which-healthier-eggs-vs-egg-whites
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How many times have you heard someone (and by someone, I mean your mom) tell you, “Eat your breakfast, it’s good for you!” Probably more times than you’ve actually listened…especially when you’re a high school student who just don’t have the energy to think about breakfast. Well, consider this: perhaps your lack of energy and motivation has something to do with how you’re eating? That is not a new thought, but a thought often forgotten nonetheless. As a grade 12 trying really hard to balance all aspects of student life without having a mental breakdown, I understand how tempting it is to just eat a slice of leftover cake and call it breakfast. For others, trading breakfast in exchange for 10 extra minutes of sleeping time is as easy a decision as (insert simile). Or, for people like myself who just have no appetite in the morning, it may even be physically uncomfortable to consume food at a time when your body and metabolism hasn’t kicked in yet. Whatever your excuse may be, we can at least all agree that it’s so much easier to neglect breakfast than to partake in all its nutritious benefits. Nevertheless, after looking into some legitimate scientifically-proven facts, and gathering some first-hand experience, I can truly say that I have been converted to a breakfast believer; and will likely stay faithful for the rest of my days. Everybody likes brunch. Whether it’s a warm plate of fresh eggs or some buttered toast or even a big, fluffy pancake, there’s a breakfast food out there for everyone. Therefore, there really is no need to convince anyone to upgrade his or her breakfast. We are all quite capable of whipping up a nutritious meal ourselves. It is finding the time and effort to commit to breakfast that many need to work on. Personally, I don’t particularly restrict what I eat for breakfast, although I do briefly keep track of what goes in my mouth. I always have eggs for breakfast, because they are a great source of protein and can satisfy my hunger. If we have some leftover chicken or other meats in the fridge, I just heat them up and add them to my breakfast. Most of us don’t have time to grill chicken breast in the morning, so prepping meat dishes the night before saves a lot of time. I also don’t worry about carbs in the morning, since I know that whatever I consume will be burned up by the end of the day. It is definitely better to eat a lot in the morning and cut down on dinner (though I don’t really) than to do the opposite. If we don’t start off with a satisfying meal, we tend to snack on various foods throughout the day, which ends up amounting to a higher intake of calories than if we’d just ate an extra toast for breakfast. Anyways, to balance out all the protein and carbs and even fat, I make sure to eat a variety of fruits. Whether it’s kiwis, bananas, apples, or honeydew, I’m sure everyone has at least one type of fruit lying around the house. It is important to eat a variety of vitamins and minerals that help out with various body functions. I don’t keep track of what kind of vitamins and minerals I eat (there is just no time for that and, to be honest, it is quite unnecessary) but I do try to eat fruits and veggies from various families…or, just foods with different colour and texture, to simplify things. During the summertime, I particularly enjoy a large glass of fruit and veggie smoothie. I usually just chuck in whatever fruits I have in the fridge, but my go-to flavour and energy-enhancing foods are oranges, apples, pineapples, kiwis, grapes, and berries. I usually eat whatever is in season, because not only are they cheaper and more delicious, the changing of seasons offers me a new assortment of foods. Throw in some kale or spinach, (I usually get the pre-washed and dried ones from Costco) and you can check off the second largest food group from your breakfast pyramid! In case you don’t remember, this is the food pyramid: Moving on, to satisfy the dairy category, I usually just drink some milk or eat some yogurt. Easily done. That pretty much sums up what I eat for breakfast, although it does vary; especially when my mom buys pastries the day before. These mornings are the best, and I let myself look forward to a Tim Horton’s bagel or a blueberry scone, which makes waking up a bit easier. A lot of health-conscious people eat oatmeal or Greek yogurt for breakfast (or maybe it’s just for the sake of taking a good picture) but I’ve never made it a habit of eating either. Although it is certainly beneficial (and I will reiterate why) to eat healthy, whole foods for breakfast, it is more realistic to stick to a go-to diet of milk and cereal than to not eat anything at all. Just be aware that there are numerous breakfast options out there, and it is really fun to try out various foods and see what suits you best. You might still think that there is too much fuss in making breakfast. However, the consequences of not eating breakfast are too real in today’s fast-paced society. “According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report, research suggests that children and adolescents who don’t eat a regular breakfast are at an increased risk of overweight and obesity. This can lead to an increased risk of, among other ailments, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which are among the leading causes of death in Americans today.” Instead of worrying about your future health, let’s take a look at the benefits of breakfast:
For more specific and direct health benefits of breakfast, visit these two easy-to-read sites. http://www.webmd.com/diet/many-benefits-breakfast?page=1 http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090111p44.shtml And here is a link to allrecipes, a website containing a wide variety of breakfast recipes, each recreated numerous times to affirm their consistency and personally rated by people who do try them so they can vouch for the deliciousness of each recipe. http://allrecipes.com/recipes/78/breakfast-and-brunch/ And finally, if you struggled with focusing on this extremely long post, and wanted to get straight to the main point, here is a short video clip that basically sums up everything I discussed above. Finally, what and when you eat is ultimately up to you. No one can force you to do something you don’t want to do. Hard as it may be, change is something everyone experiences in life. However, it is those who initiate the change that usually reap the most benefits… even just making the decision to eat one good breakfast a day a week is better than ignoring all the things you’ve learned! What do you eat breakfast for?
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