The food pyramid is a common image used in nutrition. It shows us that foods will fall into certain categories while others will fall into another. One food people might have difficulty grouping as meat is an egg.
In this article, we will discuss if an egg is considered meat, the benefits and risks, and finally, how much you should eat.
By the end, you will know everything you need to know about eggs and if it is truly meat. You’ll have all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Contents
Does Egg Count as Meat?
Eggs are an interesting but confusing food to categorize. One thing they are not is meant even if they are considered to be a poultry product and source of protein.
The reason they aren’t technically a meat poultry product is that they don’t come from the flesh of an animal.
Another thing they aren’t is dairy because they don’t have milk in them. Yes, you’ll find that these foods are grouped in the grocery store and often used together, but it doesn’t mean that eggs are dairy.
This is why it can be difficult to categorize eggs.
Benefits of Eggs
The one thing that isn’t confusing about eggs is the number of benefits that they have attached to them.
- One of the biggest benefits of eggs is that they are chock full of protein. Protein is important for your body, and an egg has at least 6 grams. Eggs also have a lot of nutrients, such as selenium, vitamin B12, antioxidants, chlorine, and phosphorus.
- We usually hear about bad cholesterol, but there is also good cholesterol! Eggs help you with good cholesterol.
- Eggs are a great way of helping certain parts of your body and lowering your risk of certain diseases. Eating eggs can lower your risk of stroke, keep your heart healthy, help your eyes, and finally, geek the brain healthy as well!
Despite the benefits of eggs, there are also risks because, sadly, you can’t have one without the other.
Risks of Eating Eggs
There are a few risks of eating eggs, and they include the following:
- Eggs can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, such as prostate, colon, and rectal cancer.
- Heart disease is a big risk from eating eggs. The reason for this is that eggs have a low level of saturated fat, so the more you eat of it, the more you are consuming. Many studies over the years have shown some link between heart disease and eating eggs, which can have devastating health effects on your body.
- Finally, diabetes is another risk of eating a lot of eggs. According to some studies, the more eggs you eat, the higher your risk of diabetes. The fewer eggs people ate, the less risk they had. Of course, there can be exceptions to the rule, and not everyone who eats a lot of eggs is going to end up with diabetes. This chronic disease is a problem because it requires you to make a lot of lifestyle changes.
Here are the biggest risks of eating eggs. One way to avoid getting any of these issues is to just make sure you only consume a certain amount of eggs, which we will cover in the next section.
How Much Egg Should You Consume?
With food, there is usually a certain amount they recommend you eat daily or weekly, and eggs are not consumed to this rule.
They recommend you eat 1 to 2 eggs a day. Another small study says 2 eggs, so the middle ground would be 2 eggs.
Some studies say you should eat a certain amount of eggs, while others give a different amount. However, the numbers are all in a similar range.
Whatever you decide, it’s good to just make sure you don’t overindulge in eating foods because a lot of something can hurt you.
This is why moderation is so important.
Final Thoughts
And there you go, all you egg lovers out there! Now you know what if an egg counts as meat, what the benefits and risks there are, and finally, how much you should eat.
Eggs are one of those very versatile foods that can be eaten at any time of day and are also used to make many foods.
In the end, it doesn’t matter if they are meat or not. They are unbelievably delicious and a staple for many households!
You might also be interested in the following:
- Is Shrimp Considered Red Meat?
- Is Seafood Considered Red Meat?
- Is Pork Considered Red Meat?
- Is Lamb Considered Red Meat?
- Is Ham Considered Red Meat?
- Is Fish Considered Red Meat?
- Is Chicken Considered Red Meat?
- What Is Considered White Meat?
- What Is Considered Processed Meat?
- What Is Considered Lean Meat?
- What Is Considered Red Meat?
I have been smoking and grilling meat from an early age and enjoy sharing my knowledge and expertise through the hundreds of articles I have written about BBQ. I hope to make everyone’s BBQ journey that little bit easier.