On average, the French consume 220 eggs per year, i.e. 11 kg, against 84.5 kg of meat. A difference which could be explained, according to The Conversationby a bad reputation created in the 1980s: the consumption of eggs would be linked to a excessively high cholesterol levels in the blood.
If the egg is indeed rich in cholesterol, a reasonable consumption can provide excellent nutritional qualities thanks to its richness in proteins, vitamins (A and B12) and trace elements (calcium, zinc, iron…) among others. According to one study published on September 6, 2022 in the journal Clinical Nutritionpeople who eat eggs almost every day would be thinner.
While this doesn’t prove eggs are the magic bullet for fat, researchers from the University of Castile-La Mancha in Spain suggest that eating more eggs”could lead to a healthier body composition”.
The role of protein intake
To arrive at these results, the team of Spanish doctors compared the body composition of 355 university students, all aged between 18 and 30. Their height and weight were measured to produce a body mass index (BMI) score, along with their waist circumference. These students were classified into different groups, based on how often they consumed eggs : less than once a week, one to four times a week and at least five times a week.
Result ? Those who ate eggs at least five times a week had a significantly lower BMI and body fat percentage than the other two groups. Their BMI was on average 22.5 against just under 23.5 for those who consumed one to four times a week or less than once. Their waist-to-waist ratio was also lower than the other groups, 0.45 versus almost 5 (the lower the score the better).
The benefits of eggs would come from protein: a large egg contains around 6g of protein, compared to around 62g in a 250g steak. And according to Dr. Miriam Garrido-Miguel, lead author of the study, eating five or more eggs per week should be recommended in healthy general populations. “This finding is significant from a public health perspective, suggesting that higher egg consumption (greater than or equal to 5 per week) may lead to healthier body composition, particularly due to higher egg intake. higher proteinshe concludes.
Source :
- The role of protein intake in the relationship between egg consumption and body composition in young adults. A mediation analysis, Clinical NutritionSeptember 6, 2022.
