If you think eggs are healthy, the yolk's on you. Eggs are high in saturated fat, calories, concentrated protein and cholesterol. One large egg contains more than 200 milligrams of cholesterol, and eating just one egg for breakfast each morning can raise your cholesterol level by 10 points. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol to maintain healthy nerves and cell membranes. If you consume additional cholesterol through eggs, meat and dairy products (the only foods that contain cholesterol), you'll raise your risk of developing clogged arteries, heart disease and strokes. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that middle-aged men who eat seven or more eggs per week are more likely to die young. Diabetic men who eat eggs – even just one or two per week – have an even greater risk of dying early. Eggs (and other poultry products) are often contaminated with campylobacter and salmonella. Chickens and other farmed animals are fed antibiotics to help them survive the crowded, unsanitary conditions on factory farms, and people who eat eggs and other animal-derived products also consume the antibiotics that were fed to the animals. Because many of the same antibiotics are used to treat human illnesses, when you get sick, the antibiotics you're prescribed may not work, either because you've built up a tolerance to the drug by consuming it in your food or because the bacteria have figured out how to beat the drug. Leading health organizations – including the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association – have warned that by giving powerful drugs (via animal-derived products) to human beings who are not sick, the farmed-animal industry is creating possible long-term risks to human health and will spread antibiotic-resistant super-germs. Dr Stuart Levy, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in the US and an expert on antibiotics, called the use of antibiotics in farmed animals and the resultant super-germs “an international public health nightmare”. Choosing to consume just the white of an egg is not a healthy option – the white contains the same dangerous bacteria and antibiotics as the rest of the egg. Fortunately, there are healthy, humane alternatives to eggs and egg products. For example, crumbled and seasoned tofu are great for making delicious morning scrambles and eggless salad – and unlike eggs, tofu has no cholesterol. If you're making home-made veggie burgers and loaves, you can use moistened breadcrumbs, mashed potatoes, avocados or rolled oats in place of eggs for “binding”. Or try one of the following alternatives (each substitute replaces one egg): • 3 Tbsp silken tofu blended with the liquid in the recipe • 2 Tbsp cornstarch, potato starch or arrowroot mixed with 2 Tbsp water • 1 Tbsp soya flour plus 2 Tbsp water • _ banana, mashed • 1 Tbsp flaxseeds plus _ cup water blended for 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and has the consistency of beaten egg whites If you ate egg alternatives instead of eggs, you could spend more time cooking and dining out and less time in the doctor's office. Plus, you may ultimately save money that you might otherwise spend on cholesterol-lowering drugs and defibrillators. If you need a reminder, make this your mantra: “eggs are inedible; egg alternatives are excellent”. For cooking tips and eggless recipes, visit VegCooking.com. ** Jason Baker is the director of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Asia. To get involved with PETA's work in Egypt, visit PETAAsiaPacific.com. BM
