Eggs - Yea or Nea?

by Rob Hampson
(Eston, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa)

Alright, so I have the more uncommon weight problem... I can't gain any! Unusual, yes I know, but still true (and extremely frustrating!).

My mom says I am lucky and that it's better to be really skinny rather than overweight. MMM, I'm not totally convinced, especially now during winter... Some extra insulation would do me really good right now! :)

Anyway, I'm constantly trying to gain a bit of weight and have tried quite a few different programs.

One of the diets that worked the best for me was an egg based protein diet with an additional powdered supplement. The diet also put good emphasis on maintaining a diverse intake of fruit and veg at the same time...

But the question that I want to ask is about the constant debate I hear about whether eggs are good for you or not?

The "not good for you" siders will say that egg contains a high amount of cholesterol and that it is extremely bad for your heart and your arteries.

While the "egg is great for you" voters will say that if you maintain a good exercise program that extra cholesterol will not effect you.

So which is it? Will a big intake of eggs to gain weight and build muscle come back to haunt me in the future when I have heart attacks etc.

Or is the whole cholesterol thing an overhyped subject and will a large intake of egg protein be a positive for my body?

Eggs for weight gain

by Olga

Dear Rob,

Yes, many of us wish we had your problem, and I had to consult with sports nutrition books to get a professional advice for you.

Cholesterol comes from egg yolk which contains a lot of fat - and that is NOT a requirement of any good exercise program. You need protein for muscle building, and therefore if you buy and cook egg whites instead of whole eggs, you can quit worrying about cholesterol in eggs and still receive the protein you need.

Exercise doesn't dramatically impact cholesterol level, although it is known to reduce it a little bit.

I believe that cholesterol in eggs is an over-hyped subject; people eat so much bad fat from other sources these days, that they should worry for cholesterol from all those junk food and fast food meals and leave those eggs alone.

I belong to the camp that believes that too much of any animal protein is bad for you. Although I eat egg whites sometimes to support my bodybuilding program, I receive most of my protein from the whole food plant sources.
They don't contain any cholesterol, so there is no need to worry about heart disease.

I can recommend that you use seeds and nuts; they are very high in calories, very good for you on many levels, and contain healthy fats and protein. Almonds, for example, a great source of protein for athletes. They are very helpful for weight gain. Try my High protein recipes or get a book "The Thrive diet" by Brendan Brazier. His diet will suit your purpose very well.

Hope this helps,
Olga

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