Egg Industry Blind Spot

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To help deflect criticism from the cholesterol content of their product, the egg industry touts the benefits of two phytonutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin, that have indeed been shown to be beneficial in protecting one’s eyesight against vision-threatening conditions, such as cataracts and macular degeneration. But how do eggs stack up against plant-based sources?

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Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The egg industry loves to boast that eggs have these two compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin, that appear so protective against cataracts and macular degeneration. What the industry does is feed hens yellow corn, alfalfa, even marigold petals—anything to boost the egg content up to 166 micrograms per large egg. So, they say, don’t worry about the whole cholesterol thing; eat eggs to protect your sight.

Eggs can actually have up to 250 micrograms; a cup of carrots, though, has over 1,000. A single serving of collard greens, closer to 15,000, and a serving of kale tops the chart at nearly 24,000.

One spoonful of spinach has as much as nine eggs. One spoonful! For eye protection, the recommendation is to get 10,000 a day. So that’s like a third-cup of spinach or 40 eggs. More than three cartons of eggs a day, every day.

That’s nutrition unscrambled?

Here are the top ten sources of these critical eyesight-saving nutrients. All greens. Eggs don’t even make the top 100. To get to eggs, you have to scroll down a couple pages, and according to the USDA, come in right behind Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries.

There are more phtyonutrients in Crunch Berries than there are in eggs.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The egg industry loves to boast that eggs have these two compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin, that appear so protective against cataracts and macular degeneration. What the industry does is feed hens yellow corn, alfalfa, even marigold petals—anything to boost the egg content up to 166 micrograms per large egg. So, they say, don’t worry about the whole cholesterol thing; eat eggs to protect your sight.

Eggs can actually have up to 250 micrograms; a cup of carrots, though, has over 1,000. A single serving of collard greens, closer to 15,000, and a serving of kale tops the chart at nearly 24,000.

One spoonful of spinach has as much as nine eggs. One spoonful! For eye protection, the recommendation is to get 10,000 a day. So that’s like a third-cup of spinach or 40 eggs. More than three cartons of eggs a day, every day.

That’s nutrition unscrambled?

Here are the top ten sources of these critical eyesight-saving nutrients. All greens. Eggs don’t even make the top 100. To get to eggs, you have to scroll down a couple pages, and according to the USDA, come in right behind Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries.

There are more phtyonutrients in Crunch Berries than there are in eggs.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Nota del Doctor

For more on the health effects of egg consumption, check out these videos:
Who Says Eggs Aren’t Healthy or Safe?
Eggs & Cholesterol: Patently False and Misleading Claims
Eggs & Choline: Something Fishy
Eggs, Choline, & Cancer
Eggs & Arterial Function

For more on the egg industry’s misrepresentation of the facts, see my videos, Avoiding Cholesterol Is a No Brainer and Egg Cholesterol in the Diet, on their scrambling of cholesterol science.

And what else has lutein and zeaxanthin?  Avocados. Check out Are Avocados Good for You?

For more context, check out my associated blog posts: Preserving Vision Through Diet; Bad Egg; Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk; 98% of American Diets Potassium Deficient; Prevent Breast Cancer by Any Greens Necessary; Eggs, Cigarettes, and Atherosclerosis; and Why Are Eggs Linked to Cancer Progression?

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