Choosing and Preparing Eggs to Lower Cholesterol
It is important to choose and prepare your eggs carefully if you are trying to lower your cholesterol. Cholesterol is affected largely by the consumption of saturated fats, which are found in animal-derived foods, such as eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products. Eating too much of any food that is high in saturated fat will raise blood cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.
Consumption of Eggs
The yolk of the egg is where the saturated fat, fat, and cholesterol are found. In one large egg, the yolk contains 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, and 60 calories. Egg whites have no cholesterol, saturated or total fat, and have only 15 calories. In order to lower cholesterol, it is recommend that the average person each no more than four egg yolks a week, including what is used in baked goods and other dishes. Be sure that when you do foods with whole eggs, balance out your fat and cholesterol intake by choosing other foods to complement your meal
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Egg Substitutes
Recipes that call for several eggs can be made healthier by creating a dish with only one yolk per person and substituting the rest with egg whites. In many recipes, you can substitute a single egg for two egg whites, avoiding the yolk at all. Test it out to see how plain egg whites cook in particular recipe. Foods that are great for substituting egg whites include muffins, cookies, puddings, and pie fillings. And as for good old scramble egg whites, the taste is just great!
You may want to choose and prepare a dish to lower cholesterol using a liquid egg substitute. It is available as a whole egg liquid or a liquid without any yolk. Both are usually lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and can be found at your local grocery store or health food store. They are easy to cook with because the egg substitute pours from a carton like milk. This healthier alternative is easily interchangeable in many recipes without noticing a difference in taste or texture.
Cooking with Eggs
Eggs have so many different uses in the kitchen, from cookies and cakes to casseroles and omelets. It may seem difficult to limit egg consumption to less than four a week when realizing just how many things have egg in them, but it is possible, especially once you get the begin substituting the yolks for healthier alternatives that will lower cholesterol.
When cooking traditional breakfast eggs, be sure to use a nonstick pan to cook with or use vegetable oil or cooking spray to keep the eggs from sticking to the pan. These choices are much better to prevent sticking than butter, shortening, or other fats that become solid at room temperature. Fried eggs should be avoided; hard-boiled, scrambled, or poached is a healthier method.
Egg Care
Be sure to buy eggs that are unbroken in their carton, free of cracks or nicks, so that you are getting a fresh and clean food product. It is unnecessary to wash eggs as washing them is part of the commercial process. Keep the eggs on an inside shelf in your refrigerator at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs are best when used within 5 weeks of purchasing them.
Egg substitutes or egg whites can be used in almost any recipe that calls for a whole egg. Experiment will different and you will likely find yourself enjoying your low-fat egg creation just as much as before! It is possible to have your eggs and eat them too when you follow these guidelines for choosing and preparing eggs to lower cholesterol.
