Fitness Myth Busting: Egg Yolks

Welcome to our first weekly myth busting session where we’ll focus on one widely accepted fitness or nutrition fact, and prove that it may not be as factual as you may think. Today, we’re going to cover a very quick look at egg yolks. Too often, at the table next to us, we hear the order go out for an omelette with potatoes, cheese, bacon, and all the fix’ins. Then just before the waiter goes to give the chef their gargantuan order, the customer turns and reminds them “Oh, and egg whites only please.” The waiter smiles as he knows this increases the price of the plate and the customer smiles because they believe they just saved their diet by excluding the yolk.

Egg yolks have been demonized simply because the cholesterol is supposedly hidden with this yellow part of the egg. Well let’s very quickly bust the myth that egg yolks are inherently bad for you! In more than just a few clinical trials, eggs have not been found to have any direct correlation between themselves and cardiovascular disease. This includes the yolk as well. The only known cases have been in patients that already have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or hyperglycemia. Further, the cholesterol, proteins, fats, and other nutrients found within eggs are largely GOOD for you. So why did this stigma begin?

Well, if you’ve ever listened to the news, you’ll know why. The media often looks to a certain food or entertainment source to vilify if they can’t identify an exact person or thing. Do you remember when milk, red meat, and even wheat were bad for you? Three things that man has been eating for most of our existence yet now (according to the media), they no longer hold the nutritional values that they used to. Egg yolks like anything else, are great in moderation. Just like drinking your favorite bottle of scotch in one sitting is bad for you, eating a whole carton of egg yolks will be just as bad. However, by choosing when and moderating how much to consume, you will live a happier life not having to avoid those little yellow dots of sunshine.

As always, think healthy, be healthy!