ADA Recommends Eggs for PWD

I almost ignored this article about ADA saying that eggs were good for people with diabetes. If it had not been for A.J, I might have passed on this. When A.J asked me about my thoughts on the article, I had forgotten about it already. A.J said he had also skipped over this the first time as he had just come from an appointment with the heart doctor and had been told not to eat eggs because of the cholesterol they contained. He said he had just nodded and forgot about the advice as his levels for cholesterol were very good and he could not figure out why he was being lectured about cholesterol.

A.J said he had been eating about twelve eggs per week and occasionally a few more when he wanted more protein. I agreed that I ate about the same number of eggs and had a hard time understanding why some doctors were still pushing no eggs because of the cholesterol. A.J asked me to read the article and then blog about it.

The American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. One large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates and this will not cause a spike in your blood glucose level. Many people with and without diabetes are afraid of eggs because one large egg contains nearly 200 mg of cholesterol. This is what drives many doctors to discourage eggs, but much of the evidence is still in favor of the egg and while highly debatable by doctors, many in our support group have great lipid panels and have no worry about cholesterol.

Monitoring your cholesterol is important if you have diabetes because diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream also raises the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is important for anyone with diabetes to be aware of and minimize other heart disease risks.

There are many benefits that people don't know about eggs. A whole egg contains about 7 grams of protein (a complete protein). Eggs are an excellent source of potassium and we need potassium for nerve and muscle health. This also helps balance sodium levels in the body as well, which improves your cardiovascular health.

Eggs have many nutrients, such as lutein, which protects you against disease, and choline, which is thought to improve brain health. Egg yolks contain biotin, which is important for healthy hair, skin, and nails, as well as insulin production. Eggs from chickens that roam on pastures will be high in omega-3s, which are beneficial fats for diabetics.

Eggs are easy on the waistline, too. One large egg has only about 75 calories and 5 grams of fat, only 1.6 grams of which are saturated fat. Eggs are versatile and can be prepared in different ways to suit your tastes. You can make an already-healthy food even better by mixing in tomatoes, spinach, or other vegetables.