Eggs may take flak for being high in cholesterol, but Easter leftovers have benefits, too

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Credit: Ron Soltys

On Easter Sunday they look great on a plate, or in a basket or hidden around the living room for kids to find.

They may even taste all right for breakfast Monday morning. But after a while, even the prettiest Easter eggs get old. And the question becomes, how many ways can one spice up plain, old hard-boiled eggs?

After all, in spite of the fact that they’re criticized for their cholesterol, eggs consumed in moderation have numerous health benefits — so don’t toss them out just yet.

“I eat a lot of Egg Beaters, which is pretty much the same thing,” said sophomore nursing major Alex Reiner. “They’re very versatile — you could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

Ari Fleeman, senior marketing major, is also a fan.

“Basically I love everything eggs have to offer,” he said.ÿFleeman, who is Jewish, said he often eats eggs for Passover.

A few of the health benefits of eggs:

n Protein. Eggs contain many nutrients; one of these is a high-quality level of protein, which humans rely on to create amino acids.ÿ”Eggs … (provide) 5.5 grams of protein (11.1 percent of the daily value for protein) in one egg for a caloric cost of only 68 calories,” according to The World’s Healthiest Foods Web site, www.whfoods.org.

• Vitamins. Eggs are also a good source of Vitamin B12, which helps convert homocysteine, a molecule that can damage blood vessels, into safe molecules.
• Preventing blood clots. Eating eggs may help lower risk of a heart attack or stroke by helping prevent blood clots, according to The World’s Healthiest Foods Web site.
• Vision. Eggs contain lutein, a carotenoid thought to help prevent age-related macular degeneration (vision loss) and cataracts.
• Minerals. Eggs are an excellent source of iodine, which is required to make the thyroid hormone, and phosphorus, which is required for bone health.ÿThey also provide a considerable amount of zinc, which is important for wound healing, growth and fighting infection; selenium, an important antioxidant; and calcium, which is needed for bone and growth structure and nervous function. They also contain large amounts of iron.

Convinced those leftover hard boiled eggs are worth keeping around? Before simply breaking the shell and adding salt, remember that eggs can easily be deviled or added to tuna salad or potato salad.

Another alternative: The Cracker and Hard-boiled Egg Salad.ÿCrumble a stack of saltine crackers and mix with, in this order: 1 cup chopped pickles, 1 cup chopped onions, 1 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 jar chopped pimento, 5 chopped hard boiled eggs, and 1 pint real mayonnaise.ÿServe as you would a potato salad.ÿ

Contact features reporter Meredith Compton at [email protected].