Ode to an Egg: Weight Loss & Muscle

The egg: to eat or not to eat? That is the age long question.

The answer is both!

Egg whites are cholesterol and saturated fat free. So when people talk about the cholesterol in eggs, they are really talking about the saturated fat and cholesterol levels in egg yolk. Also, more that half of the protein in an egg is contained in the white as opposed to the yolk (3.5 g in the white, 2.5g in the yolk in an average 50 gram egg).

My simple solution it only eat the white of the egg, and eat it often! The whites of 1 dozen large eggs fits quite perfectly in an 18 screw top container. I keep mine in an empty and washed out peanut butter container (Not recommended if you have peanut allergies, but why would you have and empty peanut butter jar in the first place if you have peanut allergies...anyway...)

If you find you are squeamish about eating a plate of albino scrambled eggs, just add 6 drops of yellow food color to 1 dozen egg whites.

Tip: When separating eggs, if you lose a piece of shell in your whites, use a large piece of shell to retrieve it. The egg shell attracts the bit of wayward shell. I don't know why but it does work.

Alternatively, you can buy egg beaters or egg substitute, but it's actually less expensive to buy catrons of whole eggs and separate them yourself. My 18oz of egg white is about $1.29, as opposed to $2.50 or sometimes over $3.00 for egg whites already in a carton.

1/2 cup of egg white = 2 eggs

Weight Loss

It has been scientifically proven that people who start their day with eggs will eat approx. 20% less food over the course of their day. The high protein in eggs is very filing and people just don't feel as hungry at meals and snacking is significantly decreased.

See one of many articles on the subject here.

It is also a fact that consuming carbohydrates will actually cause your body to crave more carbohydrates, so starting your day with a high amount of carbs is a terrible idea! Especially since you will be breaking an overnight fast. Your body wants protein and if you give it carbs after a lengthy time without food your blood sugar levels will spike, causing your pancreas to work overtime (type 2 diabetis here we come!) and them plummet, causing hunger. What will you be hungry for? More carbs!

Eating eggs for breakfast instead of bagels, cereal, instant oatmeal, toast, or McMuffins will cause your carb desires to be put of until later in the day. As result you will crave carbs for smaller portion of your day instead of all day!

If you do choose to eat oatmeal, be sure it is not the instant add water type. All traditional breakfast carbs are less harmful if you add fiber to the meal. Everyone should eat 4 grams of fiber at every meal to prevent a sugar spike.

I love breakfast cereals, I just don't eat them for breakfast. Snacking on some of the healthier cereals, or the naughty ones with mini marshmallows with added fiber, is a great idea for later in the day.



Building Muscle

1/2 cup of egg white contains 130 mg of calcium. It has been proven that calcium and protein in combination helps build muscle. The more muscle mass you have the more calories you will burn whether you are running, biking, doing sit-ups, or just sitting still.

The human body needs at least 1000 mg of calcium per day, so drink you milk (skim is best - try organic for outstanding flavor skim milk) and/or take a calcium supplement.

How to Cook Your Eggs

Scrambled

1. Heat small skillet on medium low.
2. Pour 1/2 c. egg whited in to a 1 cup glass or plastic liquid measuring cup.
3. Add enough skim milk to bring the total liquid to 2/3 cup.
4. Whisk egg and milk with a little salt and pepper.
5. Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Add egg mix to skillet and cook, moving eggs around constantly with a rubber spatula.
7. Don't let the eggs brown.
8. Serve hot.

Optional add ins:

• fat free or 2% cheddar or Swiss cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon real bacon bits
• 1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion
• 1/8 teaspoon dill weed
  

Fried Eggs

1. Heat small skillet on medium low.
2. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter substitute (not trans fatty margarine!) and let it melt.
3. Measure out 1/2 cup egg whites.
4. Add to skillet.
5. Add salt and pepper.
6. Turn eggs when slightly golden brown in spots.
7. Serve hot.

Omelet
This one is a bit tricky and takes a few tries to get right.

1. Heat a very small skillet (6") on medium low.
2. Pour 1/2 c. egg whited in to a 1 cup glass or plastic liquid measuring cup.
3. Add enough skim milk to bring the total liquid to 2/3 cup.
4. Whisk egg and milk with a little salt and pepper.
5. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter substitute (not trans fatty margarine!) and let it melt.
6. Add egg mix to skillet.
   
7. Use a fork to very gently break up cooked bits of egg as they form.
   
8. Don't let the eggs brown.
9. Run a rubber spatula around the edge of the egg to loosen from the pan, also allowing uncooked egg to flow underneath the cook egg.
   
10. When egg is cooked, but not brown, turn omelet over.
11. Immediately add 2 tablespoons fat free or 2% cheddar or Swiss cheese to 1/2 side of the omelet.
12. It will only take about a minute for the egg to finish cooking once it's flipped over.
13. Turn off fire. Gentle fold omelet in half or roll into a tube shape.
    
14. Serve hot.

Be creative about the filling you add if you like.


Quiche

Easy to make with or without a crust. Without a crust is healthier as it lowers the fat and carb count. If you use a crust, any crust recipe will do, or you can use a store bought crust.

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
   
2. Grease an 8" or 9" pie plate.
3. Add shell to plate, if desired, and poke 20 or so sets of holes in it with a fork.
4. (Only if using pie shell) Line pie crust with double layer of foil and bake for 10 minutes. Removed from oven and carefully remove foil.
   
5. Add 2/3 cup of cooked ham, turkey ham, bacon or vegetables (or any combination) to the pie plate and spread out evenly.
6. Add 1/3 cup finely chopped onion and spread out evenly.
7. Add 1 cup shredded fat free or 2% cheddar or Swiss cheese and spread out evenly.
8. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups egg whites (equal to 6 eggs) and 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 t. salt and a dash of pepper.
   
9. Pour egg mix over the fillings.
10. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temp to 300 degrees and bake an additional 45 -60 minutes until a knife inserted about 1" from the edge of the crust comes out clean.
11. Let stand about 10 minutes before serving.
12. Recommendation: serve with fresh fruit.
    

The only song that could possible accompany this post is:

Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks

This youtube offering even comes with a funny cartoon. Enjoy!