The Incredible Edible Egg

Hopefully you have read my post on protein synthesis and protein availability If you have, you know that out of the three macro - nutrients - protein, sugar and fat protein is by far the most important.
I have a saying that I learned from Ari Whitten. “Make protein your best friend”. Now let us begin.
When I was growing up eggs were considered bad because of the cholesterol within the egg yolk. Today I call bull sh......t. People then and some today chose to eat only the egg whites just for the protein content and I must confess at one time I was one of those. I will call my self out and no one else.
How misguided was I? Very. Cholesterol is the culprit. Once again I call bull......t. I will explain. let’s explore the cholesterol myth. Yep, I did say myth and I will explain why as we meander through this blog.
First however, what is cholesterol? If you look up as I did, define cholesterol, here is how cholesterol is explained. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat like like substance found in blood and cells of the body. It’s produced in the liver and is essential for good health. Cholesterol is needed to make cell walls, tissues, hormones, vitamin D, and bile acid. It also helps the body digest fatty foods. Cholesterol comes from the foods you eat and your liver.
Let’s stop right here. This statement Cholesterol comes from two sources: the foods you eat and your liver. It should have said eighty percent of your body’s cholesterol comes from your liver and twenty percent comes from food. On a side note, I have read studies showing that as high as ninety percent of cholesterol comes from your liver. Let’s continue. Dietary cholesterol is found in animal foods, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Some tropical oils, such as palm oil, kernel oil, and coconut oil and these foods contain saturated fat that can increase bad cholesterol.
The statement - bad cholesterol. Once again I call bull.......t. There is no such thing as bad cholesterol. What is being referred to as bad cholesterol is LDL - Low Density Lipoproteins. Did you know that the majority of your body’s cholesterol is Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) and your brain has zero of the so called good cholesterol High Density Lipoproteins - (HDL).
Let’s continue on. Cholesterols carried in the blood by Lipoproteins, which are small, round particles made of lipids (fats) and proteins. There are two types of Lipoproteins: LDL and HDL. Your HDL (good) number should be above sixty, and your LDL (bad) should be below a hundred, and your total cholesterol should be below two hundred. I call bull s....t once again.
Back in the day our family doctor and family friend Dr. Eugene Reiner said and I quote “when the new standards of overall cholesterol went from 240 to 200”, with both hands cupped around the sides of his mouth, in a whisper said “bullshit”. Obviously this is a ploy by Big Pharma to make money off of “statins”.
I’ll explain once again as we progress, but first back to the overview. If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries, which is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart disease where your arteries become narrow or even blocked.
Let’s start with the so called preferred standard of LDL and HDL and overall cholesterol no more than 200. The key is to understand what the functions of HDL is. HDL cholesterol removes excess cholesterol from the body. HDL takes cholesterol from other parts of the body and carries it to the liver, where it is removed from the body. HDL may also exchange cholesterol with apoB particles, such as LDL, for disposal. The process of how the liver removes the cholesterol from the body is called reverse cholesterol transport. This process converts cholesterol into bile salts and transfers them into the bile where they are expelled. So, the theory is the higher your HDL the more removal of the so called bad cholesterol LDL. Well, not so fast. You see it depends on how well your HDL is functioning. For instance one could have an HDL of a 100 but these Lipoproteins functionality is that of a slug, where one could have an HDL of 40 but the Lipoproteins are working like a beaver. This could explain why someone with what would be considered a high risk based on there blood panel shows zero plaque build on a cardiac CT scan. On the other hand someone with an excellent LDL to HDL ratio can show significant plaque build up on a cardiac CT scan.
Unfortunately, there is no test available to see just how well your HDL is doing it’s job. In reality we don’t need a test such as that because we have the only test as far as blood work goes that matters. ApoB. An ApoB test shows the total number of atherogenic lipoproteins and HDL particle size. PARTICLE SIZE is key. Small particle LDL lipoproteins are the problem because they get stuck within the endothelium,  a layer of cells within an artery or blood vessel. The endothelium is part of the Extra Cellular Matrix, the fascial matrix system. When overtime this plaque can build up within the endothelium causing a restriction or blockage of an artery. Plaque can break off from the endothelium causing a blood clot closing an artery and restricting blood flow. My suggestion to everyone would be to throw away your basic blood panel showing LDL and HDL ratio unless you also have an ApoB test along with it. I would also suggest a cardiac CT scan that will show plaque in any of five arteries.
So you see, the incredible, edible egg is not a villain. In fact it’s one of nature’s supper foods. Without any further ado. The incredible, edible egg. One egg contains six grams of protein and with the yolk along with whey protein is the most bioavailable foods you can eat protein wise. The protein is in the egg white. The yolk, that’s where it’s at. Vitamins in an egg yoke are A, D, E, K, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9 and B12. The egg yolks contains omega three fatty acids which are high in EPA and DHA. The egg yolk is high in folate, iron, lutein and zeaxanthin along with the omega three’s support eye and brain health. Other benefits from the yolks include a lower risk gastrointestinal distress, boosted immune system and reduced blood pressure. The egg yolk contains choline which is absorbed in the small intestine and delivered to the liver, brain, and other parts of the body. In the brain choline becomes acetylcholine a neurotransmitter that helps control memory and mood. The saturated fat contained in the yolk does not contribute to higher levels of LDL cholesterol or an increase in triglycerides. So, I think it’s safe to say…Enjoy the super food the incredible eatable egg.
Stay tuned for my next blog.