By Nancy L. Pidutti

Many people are needlessly worried about eating eggs. We'll look at some pros and cons so you can make your own health-based decision.

If we pay attention to our body and how it responds to what we feed it, we'll be better able to understand how to give it the best raw materials for its proper working. That's far better than giving in to public hype or peer pressure. However, to be effective we need to know something about how your body operates under optimal conditions.

The main concern about eating eggs is related to the fear that they will raise our blood cholesterol levels. It may relieve you to know that your body needs cholesterol and certain body parts, such as your liver, actually manufacture it.

Cholesterol is partly protein and partly fat. It looks like a somewhat waxy substance and is needed to help form the walls of all of your cell membranes. It also helps your glands produce hormones and vitamin D and helps your liver make bile. (The better to digest the fats you eat, my dear!)

When blood work is done, two types of cholesterol are screened for. HDL is called good cholesterol = High Density Lipoprotein. LDL is called bad cholesterol. = Low Density Lipoprotein (Think of it as high = good and low = bad.) We can explore the issues of cholesterol in another column.

Now, we'll explore the topic of eggs. They have really gotten a bad rap.

Although it's true that eggs contain cholesterol, they also come equipped with lecithin which is essential to proper utilization of fats. So, if you eat an egg, the cholesterol is absorbed in tandem with lecithin which makes sure that it's used in the manner in which it's intended. That means less work for the liver at that time.

Lecithin breaks down in the body to supply B-complex vitamins, choline, and inositol. They help with brain function as they aid the transmission of nerve impulses. Anyone for more brain power?

Choline forms the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, and also prevents your liver from becoming fatty. Inositol works with choline to keep your liver healthy and flushes cholesterol deposits out of the arteries where they tend to form plaque.

Plaque narrows the diameter of blood vessels making the heart work harder, which raises blood pressure. Plaque also provides a place where clots can form.

Another positive factor about eggs is that they have a good supply of high-quality protein. That can be another point of confusion since there are many voices telling you that we eat too much protein in America and we should cut back on it for our health.

Who is right? Take a look at the following and then make your own decision.

In 1949 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Circular No. 827 reported on a study done on 200 volunteers who ate different types of breakfasts to show the effects on their level of circulating blood sugar. One of the two most protective breakfasts included two eggs. The other included 8 oz. of whole milk to which two and a half tablespoons of powdered skim milk had been added.

The reason this is so important is that these people had more energy, were able to think more clearly, and had a greater sense of well-being. Another reason is that it helps stabilize your blood sugar. These positive attributes continued well past their lunch.

The conclusion was that orange juice, two slices of bacon and toast with jam, and coffee with cream and sugar left people more fatigued, more confused, and depressed, even with the addition of cereal (including oatmeal). However, the basic breakfast with the addition of either the eggs or the milk described above increased their functioning ability in every area.

Another older Harvard study also showed the protective power of a high-protein breakfast. Their conclusion was that if an adult ate at least 22 grams of protein for breakfast (an egg has about 6 grams) they were more efficient, had higher levels of energy throughout the day and their metabolic rate increased. (That could be good news for dieters.)

You may wonder how eating protein has any effect on your blood sugar. After all, carbohydrates (CHO) from sugars and starches are the thing that causes blood sugar to rise. You are right.

Look at it this way. The normal blood sugar has a range from 80-120, depending on what source is used. However, many people experience mental inefficiency and sometimes emotional confusion toward the lower end of that spectrum.

When only carbohydrates are eaten, they quickly break down into various components. The one that affects blood sugar is a very simple sugar known as glucose.

It courses through the bloodstream and quickly reaches the brain. Sensitive monitors there recognize it as a too-rich mixture for proper nervous system function. These monitors signal the pancreas to secrete insulin.

Insulin acts as a key to quickly unlock cell doors so surplus glucose can be stored. It's so effective that soon the circulating level of glucose falls below the required amount for optimum function.

That triggers a number of gland and organ responses, namely a stress response from the adrenal glands which over time can be very wearing and cause them to operate less effectively.

Now, if a good protein intake happens at breakfast with the carbohydrate (CHO), the protein components (amino acids) do two things. They slow absorption of the CHO and act as a support to the blood sugar level. The result is that it does not elevate as rapidly or to as sensitive a level and the brain monitors do not over-react.

Both amino acids and glucose in partner to cause the whole body to function better. A wonderful side effect is more energy and a clearer, more efficient mind.

Eggs also contain a generous supply of sulfur, necessary for brain function, vitamin B12, manganese, and iron, along with some niacin (B3). According to healthline.com eggs are one of the "most nutritious foods on the planet." One large boiled egg contains Vitamin A, phosphorus, the mineral selenium and three of the B family members: folate, pantothenic acid (B5) and riboflavin (B2).

Michael A. Weiner, Ph. D. feels that the method of preparing eggs may influence the amount of blood cholesterol elevation which they cause. He discusses this in his book, Nutrition Against Aging. His conclusion is that lower heat and shorter cooking time lessens the amount of cholesterol response in the blood.

There are two last facts to consider in making your decision. Some people are allergic to eggs. For them, the side effects would not be worth eating them. A few can get around their reactions by giving wide timing to the space between when they eat them. However, that is best left to an allergist to determine.

The other factor is that some people like eggnog during the holidays and may make their own. That is not as prevalent as it once was due to the scare about salmonella in raw eggs.

However, for those who still hold to their traditions, here is something you should know. There is a substance in egg white, known as avidin, which combines with biotin, another B-complex vitamin. When this happens,a biotin lack can cause depression, extreme fatigue, panic attacks, muscle pain, nausea, dry and peeling skin, and even chest or heart discomfort.

Am I giving you permission to pig out on eggs? No, the rule of thumb from which I write is "moderation in all things." From the research I've done, many people would be safe in eating an egg a day at breakfast. Some could even eat two. However, if your physician told you not to eat them, you are under his care and should listen to him. You can research the matter more thoroughly and discuss it with him if you wish.

Some time ago my husband was concerned about his cholesterol level since we ate eggs most mornings for breakfast. His blood tests revealed no elevation.

The physician who sent his patients on vacation felt that stress was a far greater elevator of blood cholesterol than eggs. When you think about how wearing stress is on simple mechanical parts, you might recognize how the body would attempt to insulate itself from similar effects.

You may wonder how we eat eggs. We continue to eat them when we're so moved. However, we cook them with cooler temperatures and watch the timing factor. Bon appetit!

Let's Be Healthy!