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The Chicken Period and Cholesterol

Ian
May 30, 2017
3 min read

Yes. The chicken period. otherwise known as the egg.

Eggs, why are they awesome?

They are wicked cheap. like less than $3 for 36 eggs. That is $0.08 an egg. LESS THAN .10¢ a pop!

They have GREAT macros!

Average Large egg nutrition:

Calories: 78

Total Fat: 5g

Total Carbohydrates: 0.6g

Protein: 6g

VITAMINS!

B12: important for metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system.

B2: works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells.

A: helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin.

B5: essential for the metabolism of food. It also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol.

Selenium: play critical roles in reproduction, thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, and protection from oxidative damage and infection

Also! calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, Vitamin E, Folate and many more.

Do you know how hard it is to take a photo of an egg standing up?

Choline:

The body needs choline to synthesize phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin, two major phospholipids vital for cell membranes. Therefore, all plant and animal cells need choline to preserve their structural integrity.
In addition, choline is needed to produce acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter for memory, mood, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions
Choline also plays important roles in modulating gene expression, cell membrane signaling, lipid transport and metabolism, and early brain development

Essential Amino Acids: There are 20 Amino Acids. They are what make up the structure of the body. You make 11 in your body. You need 9 others from the food you eat. These are called essential amino acids. Eggs contain ALL essential amino acids!!

They help your eyes!

Eggs contain Lutein and Zeaxanthin which are antioxidants found in the yolk of the egg. These antioxidants help reduce the risk of Macular Degeneration and Cataracts.

You can use them for almost anything. They are in TONs of meals, and are great for you.

Choose Wisely!

Good eggs are better than cheap eggs. If you can afford cage-free, organic, Omega-3 enriched eggs, DO IT!

Cholesterol (this is not a bad word!)

Cholesterol is a VERY important part of your diet. It is a main structural component of the cell membrane, it makes hormones like testosterone, estrogen and cortisol.

When you eat eggs, yes you are getting more cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels are different things.

LDL: Low-density Lipoprotein --- The "Bad Stuff" too much is said to block arteries as it coats the inside of them. Much like a wet pixie stick.

HDL: High Density Lipoprotein---The "Good Stuff" Picks up LDL and carries it throughout the body and brings it to the liver to be processed and broken down.

If this is something that concerns you, get your blood work done. Check it as you do keto.

My blood work came back awesome. Below is a picture of what it looks like even though I eat tons of eggs and the like.

04/18/2015

Lipid Panel, Serum Chol: 168 mg/dL

Trig.: 95 mg/dL

LowDhdl: 36 mg/dL

HighLDL Chol: 113 mg/dL(calc.)

Chol/ HDL Ratio: 4.7 ratio

04/18/2017 (Keto 6 months in) Where they should be.

Lipid Panel, Serum Chol: 159 mg/dL (DROPPED) <200 mg/dL

Trig: 66 mg/dL (DROPPED) <150mg/dL

Dhdl: 46 mg/dL (Raised, a good thing) >40 mg/dL