Eggs are Badass

Easter is coming up and I've decided to pay homage by writing a blog post about the awesomeness of eggs. But before I get into it, I need to set the record straight about a couple things...

#1 There is no Easter Bunny. You've been lied to... It's a mutherfuckin' Easter Chicken. Chickens lay eggs folks. Rabbits are mammals.  They poop out little baby bunny-rabbits... shell-less baby bunny rabbits. How that damn rabbit stole all the glory, I have no idea.

#2 There's a dirty rumor out there that eggs are bad for you. Or at least that eating the yolk causes heart problems due to it's high cholesterol content. This is also untrue. There is no research that demonstrates a direct link between egg consumption and heart disease.  In fact, eating eggs is more likely protective to arteries as it has shown to improve ratios of large vs small LPLs ("low-density lipoproteins"...a type of carrier for cholesterol).

Now that we've gotten those two offensively spurious fables out of the way... I will, for the remainder of this article, make
the case that eggs are in fact a badass food. And if you want to be smarter, more jacked, and overall more bangarang, then you should probably start consuming them on the daily.

Eating Eggs makes you Smarter
Egg yolks are one of the richest sources of Choline, an essential nutrient required for a long list of biological functions (cell signaling, nerve impulse transmission, other sciency words), But in short... choline is necessary for proper brain function. And since our bodies can only make very small amounts of choline, it's important to get plenty of it in the diet. Multiple studies have linked high dietary choline intake with significant increases in cognitive performance. One long-term study published in 2011 out of Boston University School of Medicine demonstrated specific improvements in verbal memory, verbal learning, visual memory and executive function.

Eating Eggs makes you Jacked
Eggs have been a staple bodybuilding food since men with old-timey mustaches started flexing in front of crowds at the turn of the 19th century. There are two main reasons:
    1.    Protein
Muscle tissue is primarily made of chains of proteins and eggs are arguabley the best food source of protein. Not only are they classed as a complete protein ("complete" meaning they contain an adequate amount of all 9 essential amino acids necessary for human functions and repair), but they are also the most bio-available whole-food source of protein. A food's "biological value" is a measure of how efficiently a protein is metabolized, absorbed, and used by the body.

    2.    Testosterone
In addition to providing the basic raw materials for muscle growth, eggs contain nutrients that facilitate testosterone production. These include calcium, vitamin D, cholesterol and a healthy mix of fats.

What else can eggs do for you?

• Reduce Appetite

Eating eggs for breakfast has been shown to reduce appetite throughout the remainder of the day. A study from the Rochester Center of Obesity in America has gone one further to assert that this reduction in appetite can cause a subsequent drop in total calorie intake.

• May Improve Reflexes:

A 2014 study published findings that ingestion of Tyrosine, an amino acid found in eggs, improves reaction time in a "stopping" exercise.

• Improve Eyesight:

Eating eggs increases serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, two eye-friendly antioxidants specifically associated with fending off age-related macular degeneration.

• Lower Blood Pressure:

During digestion, enzymes in the stomach and small intestine can convert protein from cooked eggs to peptides with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity (ACE-inhibitors block vasoconstriction and improve blood flow).

• Support Thyroid Function:

Eggs contain generous servings of iodine and selenium. Both of which are essential for a healthy working thyroid.

• Maintain Healthy Bones and Teeth:

One medium sized egg contains 91mg of phosphorus. Phosphorous is a mineral that makes up 1% of a human's total bodyweight. Most of this is found in our bones and teeth.

What type of eggs to buy?
Unless you're buying taradactal eggs from a crazy person at a farmer's market; we eat chicken eggs (sometimes duck) in America. But not all chicken eggs are made equal. The diet and living conditions of the animal that lays an eggs will determine the healthfulness of that egg. You may find a variety of labels on egg cartons at your local supermarket. Some say "Organic." Some say "Cage-Free." Some say "GMO-Free Feed." These are all good. But the healthiest, most nutritious eggs will be labeled "Pasture Raised." This means the chickens are free to roam their "pasture" and eat a natural diet of insects, seeds, and vegetation instead of being given feed from a bag.

Of course, after reading this article; you may have the urge to forgo the supermarket, build a coop and start breeding your own feathered flock so as to have easy access to their eggletes. To that I say: Your dream is attainable.

Now go forth and harness the badass power of the egg.

References and Further Reading:
Choline-rich diet and cognitive performance
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/94/6/1584.abstract
Beneficial Effects of High Protein Breakfast
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/97/4/677.full.pdf+html
Egg Yolk Lipids
http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=fLmAYGxmTfIC&oi=fnd&pg=PA73&dq=eggs+consumption+acetylcholine&ots=NyDoOYPnWL&sig=0wOBCT-p1W52Xer6UUK7T2Ry7ro#v=onepage&q=eggs%20consumption%20acetylcholine&f=false
High intake of cholesterol results in less atherogenic low-density lipoprotein particles in men and women independent of http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15164336
Eating Eggs Lower Total Calorie Intake
https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/weight_loss/weight_loss_tips/eat_eggs.htm
Eating Eggs for Faster Reflexes
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140211083859.htm
Lutein and Zeaxanthin in Eggs
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16988120
Eat Eggs to Reduce Blood Pressure