Many people believe that animal fats and cholesterol cause heart disease, and eggs get an especially bad rap as cholesterol heavyweights. The truth is that serum cholesterol levels probably do not provide an accurate indication of future heart disease. However, a substance called homocysteine has been positively correlated with plaque buildup in arteries, as well as a tendency to form clots, neither of which are desirable.
For this reason, it seems wise to take steps to lower homocysteine levels. I am proceeding on such a course myself. My reading indicates that among the nutrients that may be useful are B6 and B12, along with folic acid and choline. I take a B100 coated capsule twice a day. These capsules are found in every family-run drugstore and health food store. Choline, a member of the B family of vitamins, is a slightly different matter. I have researched the subject and today rely on three sources of choline: sauerkraut, lecithin, and local, organic, real free-range eggs. Egg yolks are the most concentrated source of choline.
Eggs are also a good source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Look for pasture-raised local eggs. If you can document that your eggs come from chickens that are fed flax, so much the better. These eggs are likely to have a 1-to-1 omega-6-to-omega-3 profile rather than the harmful 15- or 20-to-1 profile found in commercial eggs.
Finally, eggs provide sulfur-containing proteins. Sulfur, widely known as the body’s guardian, helps to protect the body from infection, pollution, and the harmful effects of radiation. Sulfur may also be active in slowing down the aging process. I search out eggs from The Country Hen in Hubbardston, Massachusetts. These organic, cage-free eggs are loaded with selenium, lutein, omega-3s, and, of course, choline. That’s my egg story.
