Walking through the grocery store, staring at food labels and trying to make healthy choices can be an overwhelming experience, especially when the packaging is screaming at with claims such as “all-natural”, “low-fat”, “gluten-free” and other persuasive terms. Many claims on the front of food packages are approved by the FDA and follow strict guidelines. For example, a food item labeled, “low-sodium” constitutes the item must contain < 140 mg of sodium. However, other claims such as “natural” or “pure” really are just marketing terms and have no legal definition. Basically, any food manufacture could throw those on the package.
One common FDA approved claim is the health claim in which food manufacturers can label foods that have scientifically established benefits for disease prevention.
Oatmeal boxes often contain health claims such this:
With the high fiber content in oatmeal, it highly though of as a healthy food. One cup of oatmeal typically contains about 170 calories, 30 grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat and 4 grams of fiber. With the daily recommendation for fiber of 25 grams, eating a cup of oatmeal gets you 16% there.
And while there is no arguing that oatmeal is good for you, is it better than 2 eggs a day? You never see loads of heart-healthy health claims on eggs!
A recent study compared the effects of consuming two eggs per day for breakfast vs heart-healthy oatmeal to compare the biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk and satiety measures. In the study, 50 participants were randomly selected to consume either two eggs or one packet of oatmeal for breakfast for four weeks. After the study, blood samples were collected.
The study found that participants consuming 2 eggs for breakfast:
· Felt more satisfied prior to eating dinner
· Had an increase of LDL and HDL cholesterol. HDL is good cholesterol and LDL is bad cholesterol (aka artery blocking). However, looking at the LDL/HDL ratio, the good canceled out the bad.
· Had lower plasma ghrelin concentrations. Ghrelin is an appetite stimulant, meaning the more that is produced in the body, the hungrier one is.
While eggs are often not labeled with the “heart healthy” marketing claims that oatmeal often contains, it may be a healthier alternative for breakfast.
Looking to get the fiber benefits from oatmeal with your eggs? That’s easy, just add vegetables such as:
· Onions
· Spinach
· Broccoli
· Peppers
· Mushrooms
· Tomatoes