In April this year, Emma Morano died at the age of 117 in her home in Northern Italy, the only human being who was born in the 1800s and was still alive. The secret to her longevity was her love of eggs!
This woman ate more than 100,000 eggs in her lifetime!
She was born on November 29, 1899, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Emma outlived her 8 younger siblings, and many of them were also centenarians.
She also held the line against her abusive marriage, and the death of her six-month-old baby boy, after which she decided to leave her husband.
In her interview with the New York Times, she explained:
“I didn’t want to be dominated by anyone.”
Emma was truly in love with a man who died in the World War One, when she was only 26. After this, another man threatened to kill her if she didn’t marry him.
Yet, she left him in 1938, even though they were technically married until his death in 1978. Emma never got married again but worked until the age of 75 instead.
Despite genetics, Emma contributed to her long and healthy life by consuming lots of eggs. In her 20s, she became anemic, and her doctor prescribed consuming 3 eggs daily.
Eggs are incredibly healthy and are among the most nutritious foods on Earth.
One egg is rich in:
- Selenium
- Phosphorus
- Vitamin A
- Folate
- Vitamin B5
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B2,
As well as calcium, vitamin B6, E, D, K, and zinc.
Moreover, a single egg has 6grams of protein, 5 grams of healthy fats, and about 77 calories.
Cholesterol
The fact that eggs are high in cholesterol puzzled many people, and they started to avoid them. One egg has 212 mg of cholesterol, which is more than a half of your daily recommended amount.
Yet, our liver produces cholesterol daily, and these amounts are reduced when we consume eggs. This means that cholesterol in eggs does not increase the overall cholesterol in the body.
Researchers have found that the consumption of eggs had no effects on cholesterol levels in 70 percent of people.
Additionally, eggs raise the ‘good’ form of cholesterol called High-Density Lipoprotein or HDL, which lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Fight cancer
Researchers from the University of North Carolina discovered that the consumption of eggs lowered the risk of breast cancer by 24 percent. This is a result of Choline found in the egg yolk. Namely, one egg contains 125.5 mg of Choline, which is about a quarter of the daily intake.
Weight loss
Eggs also help weight loss, as they keep us satiated and are rich in protein and low in calories. According to the findings of a study conducted at the Rochester Centre for Obesity Research, eating eggs for breakfast reduces the overall caloric intake by 400 calories daily.
One 8-week study involved obese women and men who received either a breakfast of two eggs or bagels. The egg-group had a greater weight loss by over 65 percent, reduced waist circumference by 34 percent more, and lost 16% more body fat than the other group.
Eye health
Eggs are also a rich source of two important antioxidants which support eye health: lutein and zeaxanthin. These can be found in the egg yolks, and congregate in the eyes.
The elevated levels of these antioxidants lower the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Also, studies have shown that the consumption of just 1-3 egg yolks daily for 4-5 weeks elevated blood levels of lutein by about 50 percent and zeaxanthin by 140 percent.
We should all learn from Emma Morano, and eat more eggs- starting from now!
Source: theheartysoul.com