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Crack Open the Truth: Eggs Come First
- angelchristensen
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
By Shannon Kasun, Neuroscience Specialist
The chicken or the egg?
The egg. Always the egg.
Eggs first.
Before chicken.
Before fish.
Before steak.
Before yogurt, cereal, granola, apples, blueberries, sandwiches, salads...
Oh, you thought I was asking which physically came first?
No—I don’t have insight into that debate. I’m just here to tell you why eggs deserve to come first on your plate.
Eggs have long carried an undeserved bad reputation, largely due to their high dietary cholesterol content.
But the truth?
Research shows that egg consumption does not increase biomarkers associated with heart disease—even in individuals with existing health risks (Blesso et al., 2013; Herron et al., 2003).
Instead, eggs offer a wide range of benefits—and they promise to keep you satiated, strong, and thriving.
Just one egg delivers 3.6 grams of high-quality protein for only 72 calories—and at a bargain price. In fact, eggs are among the most affordable sources of protein available.
Their protein is also exceptionally efficient: the World Health Organization (2007) found that egg protein has a 97% digestibility rate, higher than meat (94%). Eggs also boast the highest Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS)—a perfect 1.00—making them the gold standard by which all other proteins are compared to and measured.
Egg protein is packed with essential amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Of particular importance is leucine, the most powerful stimulator of muscle protein synthesis (MPS). The optimal leucine range to trigger MPS is 700–3,000 mg (van Loon, 2012), and a single egg delivers roughly 500 mg—a solid step toward that goal.
This makes eggs especially valuable for older adults, who are at higher risk of sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and power. When combined with strength training, eggs can provide the necessary nutrients to support muscle preservation and growth.
Eggs may also be a smart ally in tackling the obesity epidemic. With over 73% of Americans overweight or obese, the need for satiating, low-calorie foods is urgent. Eggs offer a powerful tool: their high protein content helps reduce hunger and they lower levels of ghrelin, the so-called "hunger hormone" (Missimer et al., 2017). Eggs rank high on the satiety index, keeping you fuller for longer—without overfilling your plate with high-calorie foods.
And the benefits don’t stop at protein. Beneath an egg’s shell lies a potent mix of lutein, zeaxanthin, choline, vitamin D, selenium, and vitamin A—nutrients linked to vision, cognition, immune health, and chronic disease prevention. Emerging research even suggests eggs may help protect against hypertension and certain cancers (Das et al., 2009).
So, should you choose the egg?
Absolutely. Not because it came first in history, but because it deserves to come first on your plate—for your muscles, your health, and your longevity.
Eggs first. Always.
References
Blesso et al., 2013 - https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(12)00318-6/abstract
Herron et al., 2003 - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022316622157214?via%3Dihub
World Health Organization, 2007 - https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/43411/WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf
van Loon, 2012 - https://journals.lww.com/co-clinicalnutrition/fulltext/2012/01000/leucine_as_a_pharmaconutrient_in_health_and.12.aspx
Missimer et al., 2017 - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/2/89
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