How things can change in nutrition. Once we thought that eggs were to be feared, that they increase blood cholesterol and had way too much fat for good health. Not any more. It seems eggs are now one of nature’s nutrient-packed meals-in-a-shell and they don’t cost a fortune either. Cadence Health and Nutrition Courses and Sneakys director and nutritionist Leanne Cooper takes a look at the nutritional facts on eggs.

What’s in an egg?
 Eggs are packed with at least 11 different nutrients, they contain a good quality protein (in fact one of the most absorbable forms of protein) and have healthy fats such as omega-3s. Containing a number of nutrients that have unique health benefits, eggs certainly pack a punch; for example two eggs provide around two-thirds of our daily requirement for selenium (which is reputed to be a strong antioxidant). Another is choline, vital for foetal and infant development, as well as potentially keeping homocysteine production (linked to a number of disorders) in the body in check.

Eggs are a good source of a number of B vitamins, vitamin E, folate and iron. Plus they are a good source of vitamin D; important for healthy bodies. In fact iron, vitamin D, folate and several other nutrients found in eggs have been shown to be low in Australian diets, particularly in children and women.

For those nutrition lovers out there who want all the facts there is a full table of the nutritional breakdown of an egg at this link - http://eggs.org.au/health-and-nutrition/nutrition-table  

What about eggs and heart disease?
Current research points to very little association between the consumption of eggs and the risk of heart disease and stroke. We now know that dietary cholesterol (the form found in our foods) doesn’t appear to strongly affect blood cholesterol (unlike trans fats and excessive saturated fat in foods).

For those who have a risk of heart disease, for example those with diabetes or high cholesterol, current recommendations are as follows:
    “There is little research to guide recommendations for egg consumption for people at high risk of heart disease (e.g. with diabetes or high cholesterol). However, prudent advice is that the inclusion of eggs in the context of a diet low in saturated fat, and containing known cardio-protective foods, is not associated with increased risk.” The Eggs Network, Australia
 

How much?
So we know that eggs aren’t bad for us, but let’s just take a quick look at how much is enough. Using figures based on two eggs (which is one serving, just to make it confusing) this provides 581 kJ (139 calories) of which 10g is from fat (90 calories). Not so bad!

The Heart Foundation recommends “all Australians can consume up to six eggs a week, in a healthy, balanced diet low in saturated fat, without increasing their risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD).”
 

Good, better, best or just hype? Organic, free-range, omega-3, veg eggs… what next?
If you are mindful of animal welfare and prefer to purchase humanely laid eggs, or if you are health conscious and buy organic eggs to avoid nasties, or you just think organic tastes better you may need to do a little homework. The area of labelling of eggs appears to be somewhat wanting. Sadly, sometimes what you are buying isn’t as it seems.

Interestingly there are just three major egg producers in Australia (Nov, Pace Farm and Manning Valley); they represent over 50 per cent of free-range eggs sold in Australia (Choice, 2008). And a whopping 80 per cent or so of our eggs come from intensive battery farms (FREPA, 2010).

Free-range
Exactly what ‘free-range’ means depends on where you buy your eggs. Free-range eggs can come from small roaming flocks to large flocks of more than 100,000 birds; some roam outside, others never see the open space. I see a frown beginning to form!

The actual standards are quite lengthy and complex, and are currently voluntary. In a nutshell, the standards state: “When fully feathered, in accordance with the current edition of the appropriate State Animal Welfare Code, birds must have easy access to an area on which to range during daylight hours.” You can see from this that there is considerable flexibility in these standards. The United States has begun to adopt the term ‘barn-roaming’ to describe eggs that are laid by chickens who don’t roam freely outdoors, so keep an eye out for this term being used here.

If you are really keen and would like to read the standards visit Free Range Egg and Poultry Australia (FREPA) - http://www.frepa.com.au/standards/egg-standards/

Update: Sadly, the Australian Egg Corporation has proposed an increase of laying hens from 1,500 hens per hectare to 20,000 (yes, that’s a 750 per cent increase). Hens would be allowed to be kept in these conditions from 25 weeks, even though they begin laying at 18 weeks. In this event the good ole ‘free-range’ eggs would hardly live up to their name.

Be informed
If you want to know just what you are buying it’s worth checking out the Animal Welfare Labels site, which lists the brands and their hens’ egg-laying conditions; it’s eye-opening!

·       http://www.animalwelfarelabels.org.au/dev/index.php?option=com_zoo&task=category&category_id=7&Itemid=227 

Or if you wanted to stay up to date with industry changes or take action, you can read more and keep up with all the latest on the Animals Australia website - http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/save-free-range-eggs/

Clearly there is a need for the egg industry to pay urgent attention to its labelling to assist consumers.

Organic eggs
This is the best way to ensure you get the whole egg and nothing but the egg; no antibiotics, nasties or inappropriate animal feed. It doesn’t necessarily say anything about the farming practices but generally organically produced eggs are laid under very humane conditions. It’s best to opt for brands that have an endorsement (look for organic certification logos), that way there is a good chance an independent body has checked out the farm.

So, remember variety is one of the most important keys to a good diet, so enjoy your eggs, along with other whole foods as nature intended!

Passionate about nutrition? Why not do a short nutrition course!
Accredited Certificate of Nutrition at Cadence Health and Nutrition courses! Go to www.cadencehealth.com.au or www.cadencehealth.co.nz. 

Caffeine was once considered a diuretic, which was believed to increase dehydration.  However, we now know that while caffeine does cause some fluid loss, where it is consumed as a liquid there is generally a net gain in fluid, caffeine also has its benefits in sports nutrition and is no longer a banned substance. Roughly 1.07 mg of fluid is lost from the body.  Given most drinks will provide about 200 mls of fluid this will still leave a net gain of about 150 mls of fluid entering the body.  

Caffeine facts  
Caffeine is found in the leaves and beans of the coffee tree, in tea leaves, guarana berries, and in small quantities in cocoa and the kola nut.  If you are a Rooibus tea drinker you will be pleased to learn that this tea comes from a different plant and contains no caffeine.   Caffeine can also turn up as an ingredient in cold medications, appetite suppressants, and pain relievers and can be helpful against some headaches and of course drowsiness.  Surprisingly, it's the leaves of the tea plant that contain the most caffeine, around 5% compared to 1 -2% for coffee beans.  The plant world uses caffeine cleverly for survival as it helps to repel many insects. As most of us know, caffeine is a stimulant to our central nervous system (CNS), helping to keep us alert and overcome feelings of drowsiness.   

What’s in a cuppa?  
Depending on what you read the amount of caffeine any in food will vary.  The caffeine content of an average 150 ml cup of tea varies from 30 - 100 mg, depending on how long the tea is made.  If you use milk, sugar, loose leaves or tea bags (strong loose-leaf tea provides the most caffeine)all create a different end result. Coffee beans come in two flavours, Robusta, which has more caffeine and Arabica. An instant coffee has 60–100mg per 150 ml, depending on the brand. An espresso comes in at around 90 mg per 150 ml1. Consuming a whole 200 g block of chocolate, would mean you would get the equivalent of about 550 mg of combined methylxathines (caffeine and other stimulants). A 30 g bar has between 20 to 60 mg caffeine. Given it’s our teenagers who consume the greatest quantity of soft drinks; caffeine intake is something worth keeping an eye on. A 375 ml cola drink contains around 40 mg of caffeine while a 250 ml energy drink contains around 80 to100 mg caffeine – about the same as a shot of espresso.

Caffeine is rapidly absorbed in less than an hour. After this, caffeine has a half-life (the time it takes for the total amount taken in to be reduced or cleared to half the original total) of 3 ½ hours to 6 hours2.
  
Athletes
Caffeine is a common aid in sport and hence why specific levels of caffeine derivatives in the urine were once banned in many sports.  However, recently the ban was lifted.    But remember there is a fine line between the benefit and cost of caffeine use in sports, for example, intake of 13 mg/kg and over greatly increases the risk of serious side effects including gastric distress, anxiety attacks, heart palpitations and headaches. The use of caffeine in sport varies according to intensity of the activity and the athlete’s body weight. One last major variable must be considered and that is the individuals ‘tolerance’ to caffeine, for example, habitual coffee drinks may require a period of abstinence from caffeine in order to gain beneficial effects from caffeine.
  
Caffeine’s effect on performance
Caffeine at intermediate dose levels of 5-mg/kg caffeine up to three to four hours before intensive exercise stimulates the oxidation of free fatty acids, as a glycogen sparing effect researchers suggest that this is limited only to the first 15 minutes of activity (Burke, 1998).  Other effects include increased blood flow to the central nervous system and consequently stimulation of the nervous system providing a feeling of alertness and acuity.  Increased release of adrenaline occurs at this dose also, stimulating muscle, improving performance and generally causing an excitatory effect on the nervous system.

Caffeine was once considered a diuretic, which was believed to increase dehydration.  However, we now know that while caffeine does cause some fluid loss, where it is consumed as a liquid there is generally a net gain in fluid. Roughly 1.07 mg of fluid is lost from the body.  Given most drinks will provide about 200 mls of fluid this will still leave a net gain of about 150 mls of fluid entering the body.


Download the full fact sheet. 

Yes we are getting bigger! As most of us know, many health professionals believe there is an ‘epidemic’ of overweightness in Australia and New Zealand and indeed in most developed countries. The body weight of the average Australian has been increasing, and around 20–25% of Australian children are either overweight or obese; so it’s little wonder that so many of us are looking for fast-track methods to reduce body fat. We need to be cautious about going too far in the opposite direction.  Becoming overly concerned with slimness can also lead to well-documented health problems. With reasonable certainty, we understand that society’s current weight issues are due to an interaction of one or more of the following:
  1.      Biological factors of weight gain
  2.      Environmental factors of weight gain
  3.      Behavioural issues of weight gain
 Most likely, it is a mix of all of the above that has lead to our increased weight.  Read the whole fact sheet on overweightness.