There is no doubt that smoking is hazardous for health as it costs nearly half a million lives each year. It harms every organ of the body and not just the lungs. It affects your central nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and reproductive systems. The data estimates that there are more than 1.1 billion tobacco users, and every 4.5 seconds, one person dies from a tobacco-related disease. The scenario is no different when it comes to consuming eggs, that too daily. We have seen the growth of the poultry industry in the last past couple of decades through systematic marketing campaigns. For example, in the case of India, a country considered to be mainly vegetarian and where eggs were not part of the everyday meal. In the 1980s, the National Egg Coordination Committee (NECC) launched a television ad campaign, which presented eggs to be fun food.
The advertisement marketed the eggs as multivitamin capsules, which led people to prioritize nutrition over tradition. The pro-eggs campaigns continued, and later on, the messages were relayed by known celebrities, such as Dara Singh, Devang Patel, and Sachin Tendulkar, to convince the general public regarding the myriad benefits of consuming eggs.
On the contrary, the fact remains that the cholesterol in eggs is harmful to heart health as well as lead to prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and diabetes. Therefore, smoking tobacco and eating eggs have a lot of similarities.
Eggs and Heart Health
Eggs are about 60% saturated fats and are also loaded with cholesterol. Both fats and cholesterol increase the risk of heart diseases. Consuming too much cholesterol raises your blood cholesterol levels, which in turn increases the risk of coronary heart diseases.
Moreover, eggs contain dietary choline that affects our vascular health adversely. The intestinal bacteria convert the choline into trimethylamine that is oxidized in the liver, and it has been explained in this video in detail.
Eggs and the Risk of Diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the world. According to research, the high-level consumption of eggs increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. All animal products, including eggs, contain saturated fats that result in insulin resistance.
Moreover, as per the American Journal of Epidemiology, egg consumption also increases the chances of gestational diabetes.
Allergies Caused by Eggs Consumption
Food allergies have increased over the years, and the majority of these are associated with animal-based products, such as milk, animal protein, and eggs. The numbers suggest that as many as 2% of kids worldwide are allergic to eggs and their products.
These allergies include:
- Skin reactions and swelling
- Gut problems, nausea, and diarrhea
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Breathing problems
Condition of Egg-Laying Hens
Another reason for you to avoiding eggs is the condition of hens that lay these eggs. These hens endure the most intensive form of industrialization to produce eggs. The hens are kept in metal cages known as battery cage with no access to outside, and artificial light is used as the only source of lighting.
Not only this, but the poor birds also go through a series of tortures, including sexing, beak & toe trimming, and forced molting to increase the hens’ capacity to lay more eggs. All these factors contribute to hens’ health as they develop various health problems over time, including feet problems due to standing all day, feather loss due to physical and psychological stress, and bumble-foot.
The female birds are mutilated at a young age, denying their natural behavior throughout the egg-laying cycle. The average lifespan of a hen range between 10 – 20 years; however, for hens in the egg-production industry, life reduces to 24 months.
Effective Egg Alternatives
They are used in almost all the baked products to give structure, color, flavor, moisture, and appearance to the baked products. However, due to multiple health disadvantages these can be replaced with the following effective substitutes without comprising on the taste of your meals.
- Silken tofu– made by curdling soy milk with a high-water content that gives consistency to your meals.
- Flax seeds– rich with omega-3 fatty acids and fiber is an excellent replacement for eggs in baked items.
- Fruit purees– mashed bananas, unsweetened applesauce, and softened dates can be used for moisty baked items.
- Commercial egg replacer– made from potato starch, tapioca starch, and leavening agents gives an excellent flavor to baked items.
- Nut butter– produced from peanut, cashew, or almond, nut butter is an amazing choice for people who love to bake.
There are several replacement choices available, which can be easily purchased in the market or made at home with flours, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.
Conclusion
The hybridization of hens is not because of the health advantages of eggs, but it is for commercial gain. The consumption of eggs is nearly as bad for human health as smoking. There is enough scientific research and data available to prove that eggs are not beneficial for our health as they are a significant risk for our cardiovascular health, developing type 2 diabetes, and causing several food allergies.
Therefore, it is very much essential to substitute it with plant-based alternatives available in the market for healthy living. It will do good for our health as well as an entire species that has been commercialized for personal gains.
