Are Eggs Dairy? What They Are, Benefits and Disadvantages
Are Eggs Dairy? What are they, benefits and harms. Also, this is one of those questions you might be afraid to ask, for fear it might be silly, but it’s not a silly question. Are eggs dairy ? Many people are not sure whether or not eggs are considered dairy.
After all, eggs are often pictured alongside dairy products, not to mention sold in the dairy aisle at most grocery stores.
So, let’s answer the question: are eggs dairy? And then we’ll look at why they’re considered an integral part of most healthy lifestyles.
Are Eggs Dairy?
For starters, let’s answer the question: are eggs dairy ? No, eggs are not dairy products. However, they fit into a class with dairy because both milk and eggs are by-products of animal origin.
One of the most important points here is that eggs will not aggravate a milk allergy or lactose intolerance. Allergic reactions to milk are due to an abnormal immune response to proteins found in animal milk (usually from cow, but sometimes from goat and other types of milk).
Lactose intolerance occurs when the body does not produce enough lactase to break down lactose into glucose.
Since eggs do not contain milk proteins or lactose , you are probably ready to eat eggs even if you follow a dairy-free diet. Of course, it is possible to have an egg allergy, but this problem is rarer than the others.
Bonus: Mayonnaise, which is made with eggs , is also not a dairy product – it’s made with egg yolks , oil, lemon juice /vinegar and seasonings.
Eggs Are Considered What?
Now that we’ve answered the question of whether eggs are dairy and we know they’re not, how are they classified?
Eggs are known as a classification of their own by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), listed alongside meat and poultry. Again, they are considered an animal by-product, which is why people on a vegan diet do not consume them.
In some new versions of the food pyramid, eggs belong to the protein food group.
They are not meat, although they do contain a good amount of protein. Depending on how you look at it, eggs can also fall into a group of healthy fats, as their protein and fat content are nearly equal.
What is Dairy?
Dairy products most commonly include anything made from animal milk: grass-fed butter, clarified butter, yogurt, cheese, and raw milk, just to name a few. They usually contain a lot of saturated fat as well as dietary cholesterol.
When confused, think about where the products come from. Almond milk and coconut milk are also non-dairy products, because they come from plant sources, not an animal’s milk .
Health Benefits of Eggs:
Are eggs dairy ? Not. This is good news for anyone who doesn’t tolerate dairy, as eggs have some nice benefits. Most research on the health benefits of eggs focuses on chicken eggs, as these are the most commonly consumed eggs . Let’s take a look at why eggs are so good for you.
Benefits of Eggs to Reduce Disease Risk:
Eggs contain nutrients that can help protect you from a variety of diseases, reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes , and stroke.
While there has been a notion for some time that eggs , or egg yolks , are dangerous and can trigger heart disease, recent research shows that consuming the right types of eggs helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, regardless of any existing conditions. .
Higher egg consumption is also associated with a significant impact on metabolic syndrome, a cluster of problems associated with the development of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Benefits of Eggs for Eye Health :
Most people think of vegetables and fruits when looking for foods to improve eye health. However, eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin , carotenoids known to protect against problems like macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Benefits of Eggs for Weight Loss:
There have been several studies finding that eggs play a role in weight loss for a few different reasons. On the one hand, eggs help you eat less, as it promotes satiety, thus reducing your appetite and the intake of unnecessary calories.
Additionally, the lutein in eggs can positively impact activity level.
Benefits of Eggs for Liver Support and Brain Function:
Another important macronutrient found in eggs is known as choline. There are a number of incredible benefits of choline in the diet, but two of the most common are the way choline is associated with reducing the risk of fatty liver disease and the way it can solve some neurological problems like depression and memory loss.
Benefits of Eggs for Skin, Joints and Connective Tissues:
Because they contain lutein and zeaxanthin , eggs are also part of a healthy skin food diet.
Eggs also contain a lot of collagen, the protein that helps build and strengthen skin, joints and connective tissue.
There are many foods that promote collagen production in the body, but eggs actually contain collagen , unlike most foods.
The collagen content of the egg changes when eggs are cooked, so it can be beneficial to take it in supplement form to get the full benefits of collagen – unless, of course, you add eggs to your smoothies.
The Best and Worst Eggs to Eat:
Coming back to chicken eggs , an important clarification must be made about the types of eggs you are buying.
All eggs are not created equal.
Chickens Raised in Cages:
Nearly 87% of eggs in the United States are from hens that live in “cages,” tiny, unsanitary cages often surrounded by deep pits infested with flies , maggots, and rodents.
Hens in cages often have a wide variety of health problems, including broken bones and bone loss.
In these cages, hens are unable to develop their natural, instinctive behaviors such as nesting, dust bathing, roosting, and more. In fact, the number of chickens stuck in these small spaces prevents the mistreated birds from doing the most basic activities such as: lying down, lifting, stretching, turning, flapping their wings or grooming themselves.
Often these cramped and unnatural living conditions cause an enormous amount of stress and strain on helpless animals who resort to unheard of behaviors. From plucking each other’s feathers to cannibalism, these living conditions push sick and unhappy chickens beyond their limits.
It is standard industry practice to burn, cut or laser cut the beaks of these helpless chickens to prevent attacks and cannibalism – a painful, debilitating and abusive process that cannot be endured.
In addition, many of these farms participate in the seedling. This is the process by which hens are fed, almost to death, to increase their egg production .
It’s not just an unbelievably cruel way to raise anything alive – the rate of disease, such as salmonella, among caged hens is enormous and a serious threat to the public’s health.
Free-range Chicken Eggs:
On the other side of the coin are free-range chickens. These hens can roam around and enjoy the sunshine and the outdoors, and they produce eggs that are simply better.
Eggs contain 18 important amino acids needed for bodily functions. However, free- range eggs not only contain these same amino acids, but have a better overall nutritional profile. Free-range eggs contain:
- ⅓ less dietary cholesterol ;
- ¼ less saturated fat ;
- ⅔ more vitamin A ;
- 200% more omega-3 ;
- 300% more vitamin E;
- 7 times more beta- carotene ;
- 98% lower risk of salmonella contamination.
Knowing Egg Carton Labels:
If you’re determined to buy eggs only from healthy, free-ranging hens, how do you decipher package labels to know what you’re getting? Here are some of the common labels and what they mean:
Outdoors: This can be on any egg carton label and is not supported by any specific guidelines or audits. If the hens have any type of access to the outdoors at any time, their eggs can be labeled outdoors.
Pasteurized: Said to benefit people with immunocompromised systems (such as patients with HIV / AIDS or who have had organ replacement), these eggs are heated prior to cooking to destroy pathogens.
Enriched with Omega-3: These chickens are fed omega-3 foods and contain 3 to 20 times more omega-3 than traditional eggs .
Vegetarian Diet: Chickens on a vegetarian diet are given only plant foods and not given supplements or additives.
Hormone Free: According to Brazilian federal law, laying hens are not allowed to receive hormones of any kind. All eggs are hormone-free, a government-regulated law.
History and Interesting Facts About Eggs:
There is no clear beginning to the story for the use of eggs as food because they have been eaten for a long time. Historians generally agree that chickens were domesticated for the usefulness of their eggs thousands of years ago.
Chickens traveled from Southeast Asia and India to Egypt around 1500 BC and then to Greece in 800 BC and spread exponentially in popularity from there.
Eggs are depicted in several ancient works of art. They also participated in folklore. Ancient Romans believed that crushing eggshells on their plates could keep evil spirits from hiding.
The egg carton was invented in 1911 by Joseph Coyle in British Columbia, made of paper and created to solve an issue between a farmer and a customer about the common breaking of eggs.
Precautions and Side Effects:
Unless you have an egg allergy, there are few dangers or risks to eating eggs . A growing body of research refutes the theory, in general, that eggs are dangerous for the heart, as previously suggested.
However, the exception to the danger to the heart rule has to do with the way you cook your eggs . Dietary cholesterol does not necessarily correlate with high levels of cholesterol in the human body, unless it is oxidized cholesterol.
Eggs do not contain oxidized cholesterol, but if cooked over high heat for a long time, the cholesterol can oxidize, which could be a factor in the development of heart disease .
To avoid this problem, cook your eggs at lower temperatures and carefully consider what is used to cook them.
Final Thoughts: Are Eggs Dairy?
Are eggs dairy ? No, but they pair well with many dairy products such as cheese or raw milk.
Eggs are not considered dairy because dairy is made from the milk of the mammary gland of mammals . Chickens do not produce milk and are not mammals, which is why the answer is that eggs are not dairy.
Eggs are high in fat and protein, so they fit a “ healthy protein ” and “healthy fat” label.
Eggs offer many health benefits, including a reduction in the risk of certain diseases, supporting brain function, and helping to build good connective tissue.
The nutritional and ethical value of chicken care makes a huge difference in what kind of eggs you buy. Conventional eggs are from hens that are kept in inhumane conditions, increasing the risk of disease.
Free- range chickens produce eggs with higher nutritional value and lower risk of disease.
When possible, try to buy certified organic eggs , ensuring the hens are kept in safe and healthy conditions. If you can, buy your eggs from a local farmer, especially if you can physically see where the chickens are raised.