One of the best muscle building foods you can include in your diet are eggs. Most people either enjoy the whites or the yellows and we have all heard that too many yolks might not be the best for cholesterol since they contain higher amounts of fat than the whites do. However, there is a lot of controversy about this and some individuals say the yolk contains some of most nutritious parts of the egg and also helps to build muscle since it contains high amounts of fat and cholesterol. Since testosterone is made from cholesterol, many believe the yolks are extremely important for increasing muscle mass.
People use egg whites as one of the staple foods in a bodybuilding diet. Some of us actually cannot eat them since we have adopted allergies to this wonderfully tasty protein. Some theories claim that if you eat too many non-organic eggs consistently over time, your body adopts a dislike toward certain “toxins” in the eggs and eventually sees them as foreign bodies that must not be allowed in. The result is the anaphylactic effect with the throat swelling and your pores closing.
I have yet to find a definitive answer on this phenomenon. It seems one can become allergic to anything, at anytime with no real explanation nor are there any time periods as to how long these allergies will last and if they will ever go away. Many allergies are related to proteins. For those of us with this allergy, it really sucks! Especially if you’re like me and love eggs! I eat them almost daily and wonder if there is anything to the toxic accumulation theory!
For those of you who don’t even have to think about the fact that eating an egg might kill you, you must not take this opportunity for granted! You can safely eat eggs every day and because of their ability to be very easy to cook and carry with you during the day, it’s the ideal food source for quality protein. The protein content in eggs is outstanding and very low in calories so even eating 8-10 egg whites will not result in a bloated feeling. So, the simple egg is one of the best low calorie sources of protein available and should be implemented into your diet if your goal is to pack on muscle mass while staying lean.
Several years ago, egg was the main ingredient for most of the protein powders in health food stores. Nowadays, whey is the dominant and most popular source for protein powders with different blends and slow releasing casein coming in after this. Egg protein is still available and makes for a solid protein powder but if you’re looking for a fast acting source to take before and after your workouts, whey protein is the one you want to choose.
Raw eggs are still consumed by some hardcore athletes although the fear of salmonella has most people cooking them first. Remember Rocky chugging down all those raw eggs during his training? Boiled and scrambled are the most popular ways eggs are prepared outside of the traditional omelet style format.
Many of my clients consume eggs at least weekly in their meal plans since they are working toward fitness and physique goals like gaining lean muscle mass, losing body fat and getting ripped. Eggs are also useful in making high protein meal alternatives by mixing them with brown rice, veggies, or soups.
According to the EGN, Egg Nutrition Center, a large whole egg contains:
- 72 calories
- 6 ½ gram protein
- less than 1 gram of carbs
- just over 4 grams of fat
Ideally, 6 egg whites make a perfect amount of protein for any meal or snack which consists of around 24 grams of protein, 2 grams of carbs and zero fat! I would also like to suggest consuming healthy fats from other sources such as flaxseeds, olives, almond butter and avocados.
I suggest having at least 4-6 egg whites twice per week as a great way to keep down the overall fat in your diet. If you don’t like eating egg whites then choose a quality egg protein powder supplement and mix it into your favorite smoothie with some added fruit. If you have cravings at night, try eating egg whites with salsa which will help to satiate your hunger and keep you as lean as possible!