It seems like every year, new articles come out in nutritional and scientific circles debating the healthiness of making eggs a staple of your diet. So, what is the bottom line about this delicious and versatile food… is it good for you, or not?

Eggs Are Undeniably Dense in Nutrients

Despite all the back and forth you may have heard or read about eggs and their place in the human diet, there is one simple fact that nobody is denying: eggs are extremely rich in protein and amino acids, things that we absolutely require in our nutritional intake. In fact, we could go on about the myriad benefits provided by eggs… they make you feel full (important when watching your weight), can help athletes build and maintain muscle mass, and the yolks are absolutely bursting with vitamins and minerals.

Are you familiar with Vitamin D? It’s the vitamin that helps our bodies more readily absorb extremely important components such as zinc, calcium, and iron. Vitamin D is basically a critical compound toward helping us reap the benefits of other health-boosting compounds. Yet, vitamin D is notoriously difficult to get from dietary sources alone. In fact, it’s one of the most popular supplements available in the already wildly successful vitamin and supplement industry. But eggs, in all their nutrient-rich glory, are actually one of the few places you can get a healthy dose of Vitamin D right from your breakfast plate!

The Cholesterol Question

Now, let’s face the area where eggs have come under fire at various times over the last couple of decades: their cholesterol content. Americans have a serious problem with cholesterol levels; and, by association, blood pressure levels. A debate has raged, however, as to whether dietary cholesterol — that is, the cholesterol you eat (versus create) is actually responsible for your overall cholesterol levels.

The jury is still out on that one. However, much research has been done regarding the overall safety of eggs in your diet, and the news is mostly positive. Although yolks do have a bunch of dietary cholesterol, eggs are also quite low in saturated fat – a serious offender when it comes to raising Americans’ blood pressure. You can find plenty of studies which indicate that eggs are probably just fine to include in your diet — but that’s not a license to simply eat as many eggs as you want, in any fashion you want. Keep in mind that, as CNN points out, there is as much as a 730 calorie difference between egg dish preparations.

The moral of this story? Keep enjoying your omelets… but maybe lay off the hollandaise, except for special occasions!