superfoods? eggs-ellent

Superfoods?
They're putting vitamins in our cereals, calcium in our orange juice and omega-3 fatty acids in eggs. These new products are coming to a store near you. Are they right for you?


By Diane Spivak
First published in Chatelaine's March 2003 issue.
© Rogers Publishing Ltd.

Eggs-ellent!

 

Determined to repair eggs' undeservedly bad reputation, producers have created new ones that are lower in cholesterol and high in B vitamins, vitamin E and folic acid--all by feeding hens a low-fat, nutritionally enhanced diet. Similarly, hens whose feed contains at least 10 per cent flaxseed produce eggs with omega-3 fatty acids, an important nutrient that helps reduce the body's levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol. Consumption of omega-3 lowers your risk of heart disease and may also ease the pain of arthritis.

Are they worth it?
Gram for gram, there isn't as much omega-3 in these newfangled eggs as there is in canola oil or fish. To get the recommended amount of omega-3 you should eat two fish servings a week, but you'll need about six eggs. This can get expensive because these eggs can cost as much as $1 more a dozen.

Are they for you?
Consider whether you really need these new eggs, advises Catherine Rocheleau, a Vancouver-based registered dietitian. If you have a family history of heart disease, keep your egg consumption to three a week. As for the omega-3 fatty acids, if you eat fish only occasionally, the new eggs may offer you an alternative. But don't substitute eggs for fish, says registered dietitian Jane Dummer of Kitchener, Ont. And don't forget about the other omega-3 sources, flaxseed and canola oil.