Should you eat the whole egg?

Enjoy eating eggs? According to Tara Allen, a registered dietitian at Advocate South Suburban Hospital in Hazel Crest, Ill., the versatile food is a great way to take in much-needed nutrients.

“A number of people just consume the eggs whites, which contain some protein, riboflavin and selenium. However, most of the nutrients of eggs are found in the yolk, which provides vitamin D, choline and lutein! So enjoy the whole egg!” Allen says.

While many people raise concerns about cholesterol in egg yolks negatively impacting their health, Dr. Tony Hampton, a family medicine physician with Advocate Medical Group, says the rule of thumb is that your body makes more cholesterol when you don’t ingest it and less cholesterol when you do. Because of that dynamic, he says about 90 percent of people could eat two to four eggs per day – yolk and all – without any negative impact. “Eggs are one of the healthiest foods on the planet,” he attests.

Eggs have more to offer besides their great taste and affordability. Read on for more.