Tag: health

Simply Brilliant Science: Creating Healthier Eggs for a Healthier You

* Originally posted at the Scientific American Guest Blog on June 7, 2011.

Photograph of many white and brown chickens in garden with green plants and brown soil.
Chickens in the Garden

When Omega Eggs (eggs containing Omega fatty acids) first appeared on the mass market in the early 2000s I had this bizarre image in my head of a semi-crazed scientist extracting the yolk with a giant syringe, swirling it about in a beaker with a neon blue solution to extract the bad fat, injecting it with Omega fatty acids and then pacing it carefully back inside the eggshell.

Of course my next thought was that would be a completely absurd and impossible way to go about making healthier eggs and I labeled the image as a flight of fancy. I dismissed the question of how Omega Eggs are produced as interesting but not a priority and went about my life.

10 months ago I started working at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The important thing to remember about UNL is that although it is a Research 1 institution it was chartered as a land grant university in 1869 under the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act. Approved under the auspices of President Abraham Lincoln it was titled: “An Act Donating Public Lands to the Several States and Territories which may provide Colleges for the Benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts”. For this reason UNL is dedicated not only to providing affordable traditional college degrees but also to research, development, and education regarding best practices in agriculture and food production.

Photo of a small blue plate with six white eggs in front of a small bamboo plant and white Japanese lucky cat on a light brown counter.
Eggs

My colleagues anxious to extol the virtues of my new university to me mentioned in passing that Omega Eggs were first sold at the Dairy Store on our East Campus. Omega Eggs have been available for purchase there since 1995. It turns out that Sheila Scheidler, then a poultry scientist with UNL, created a patented system (the university holds the patent and trade mark on Omega Eggs) to efficiently produce eggs high in Omega fatty acids.

You Really Are What You Eat

It turns out that the old saying you are what you eat is really true in the case of the chicken and then eggs. By altering the hens diets to include grains rich in Omega fatty acids such as flax seed (Omega 3 fatty acids), chickens are able to produce healthier eggs. Omega eggs have more omega fatty acids, lower cholesterol, and about half the fat of regular eggs. Two Omega Eggs have the equivalent amount of Omega fatty acids of one serving of salmon.

Omega Eggs v. Standard Eggs

 Type of MeasurementOmega EggStandard Egg
 Size of Egg60g – 1 large60g – 1 large
Calories7575
Total Fat6 grams6 grams
Sturated Fat1.5 grams2.2 grams
Polyunsaturated Fat1.35 grams.90 grams
n-6 Fatty Acids750 mg800mg
n-3 Fatty Acids350 mg60 mg
C18:3250 mg40 mg
C22:6100 mg20 mg
n-6:n-3 Ratio2.613
Monosaturated Fats2.8 grams2.4 grams
Cholesterol180 mg210 mg

Not convinced? Check out this study by Nancy Lewis, (UNL professor of Nutrition Science), Sheila E. Scheidler (UNL professor of Animal Science), and Kim Schalch (a dietician in Lincoln, NE, formerly a UNL graduate research assistant at UNL.

Bizzare Imaginings illustrated by Jeff Deards: a semi-crazed scientist extracting the yolk with a giant syringe, swirling it about in a beaker with a neon blue solution to extract the bad fat, injecting it with Omega fatty acids and then pacing it carefully back inside the eggshell.
Bizzare Imaginings

In a controlled experiment researchers studied 25 volunteers (13 men and 12 women) with high cholesterol (and no other diagnosed health conditions). Volunteers were divided into three groups all of whom ate a self-selected diet. These groups were differentiated by their egg consumption: two Omega eggs per day six days, versus those who ate two regular eggs six days a week,, and those who ate no eggs. The study looked at several factors but the really interesting thing was that there was that those eating Omega Eggs showed no increase in cholesterol while their serum triglyceride levels decreased by 14%. (High triglycerides are bad because they increase your risk of heart disease.

One should, of course, eat all things in moderation; too much of anything is bad for you. But if you’re a big egg fan like my husband, next time you’re in the grocery store you might think about buying those Omega Eggs even though they cost more. They just might help you live longer, and they’re a lot tastier than fish oil pills!

Learn More:

NebGuide G2032: Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids
(Learn about these important nutrients and foods rich in them.)
Published by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, Insitute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, written by Lisa D. Fanzen-Castle and Paula Ritter-Gooder

Agreement Makes NU’s Omega Eggs Available at Hy-Vee Stores in Seven States
Published by the Scarlet
March 1st, 2001

Image Credits: 1) Chicken in the Garden by HardworkingHippy CC BY-SA 2.0, 2) Eggs Copyright Jeffrey & Kiyomi Deards 2011 Used with permission. 3) Bizarre Imaginings Copyright Jeffrey & Kiyomi Deards 2011 Used with permission.

Amber Waves of…ah…ah…achoo! What you need to know about allergies

*Originally posted on the Scientific American Guest Blog, March 29, 2011.

Allergens? Who, me?
Allergens? Who, me?

Spring has sprung, the sun is shining, flowers are beginning to bloom and pollen is in the air. Often thought of as a bright and cheerful time, for many people spring is a season when their heads feel like over-ripe melons, their eyes water and the tissue industry is kept in business. Many people feel they may have a perpetual cold that never seems to dissipate and that only gets worse in the spring. It seems like a minor irritation, not worth their time to complain about, but instead of a cold, they may be suffering from an allergic reaction.

It is very rare that people talk about their allergies, and some people I have spoken with seem unwilling to admit that seasonal allergies may be the cause of their discomfort. Given that over half of Americans test positive for one or more of the 10 most common allergens, having an allergy or two should be considered normal, not a reason for shame.

10 most common allergens:

  • Alternaria mold
  • Bermuda grass
  • Cat
  • German cockroach
  • House dust mite
  • Peanut
  • Ragweed
  • Russian thistle
  • Rye grass
  • White oak
Histamines v. Pollen: A Dramatic Reenactment
Histamines v. Pollen: A Dramatic Reenactment

So what are allergies? Allergies are reactions that occur when a person?s immune system responds by attacking normal, everyday substances when they enter the body. A shift in the wind bringing pollen, or visiting a friend who owns a cat, can cause symptoms such as swelling, itchiness, rashes, watering eyes, sneezing, feeling warm, nasal congestion (aka hay fever), trouble breathing, and activity-induced nausea. Airborne allergens can also trigger asthma attacks, caused by chronic inflammation of the airways; the inflammation can be so severe that airways swell shut.

Allergy myths:

If the symptoms are ignored the allergies will go away. Everyone who has allergies can sadly attest that this is just not possible; we wish it were. Since allergies are an immune-system response to a substance, ignoring the symptoms will not make them go away. With continued exposure, people are likely to see an increase in symptoms. This would exhaust their body and weaken their immune system, and may even increase their chances of catching a cold.

It’s all in people’s heads. When people have an allergic reaction, chemicals such as histamine are released to attack the invading allergens. Allergies are a measurable chemical reaction, not a flight of fancy. Having to avoid allergens can mean skipping certain activities, being unable to visit people with pets or forgoing a favorite food. Avoiding things is not fun. Making fun of people because of their allergies is just plain cruel and should be avoided at all costs.

If I take some allergy medicine, it doesn’t matter how much I am exposed. Allergy medication is not a pass for people to expose themselves to allergens as much as possible. Medications only decrease the chances of a severe reaction. If people overexpose themselves, then their medication may not be able to compensate (see below).

Did you know?

Amber Waves of Grain

Hair is a giant trap for allergens and smog. A quick and easy way for people to cut down on the allergens they are exposed to is to wash their hair and change their clothes immediately when they arrive home.

Allergic reactions are additive. People with multiple allergies will have an increase in allergic reactions when exposed to more than one allergy at a time. Each allergen can be thought of as a bag of money being piled on a scale: the more the bags that are added, the more the scale dips and the worse people’s reactions will be. This is one reason why avoiding known allergens is so important. Less allergen exposure decreases the risk of anaphylactic shock, the most severe form of allergic reaction.

Anaphylactic shock is a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes restriction of the airways and other symptoms. It can completely close the airways, causing death. If you suspect someone may be experiencing anaphylactic shock, immediately call 911 and follow the operator’s instructions until help arrives. Ongoing treatment of allergies does not provide complete protection against this condition. Preventing exposure, especially to multiple allergens, is the best way to avoid it.

Visiting your doctor:

  • List all symptoms and any discomfort, including but not limited to heartburn, swelling, trouble breathing, itchiness, watering eyes, sneezing, feeling unusually warm, activity-induced nausea, swelling and any other physical symptoms. There is no such thing as too much information when it comes to speaking with a doctor about medical symptoms.
  • Ask the doctor questions about why he or she diagnosed a specific allergy or an alternative cause of symptoms. Also ask what can do to minimize or prevent symptoms.
  • Write down the doctor’s comments and instructions so that none are forgotten and no vital information is mixed up.
  • Bring a relative you trust to help take notes and ask questions.

Most important, be honest and open with your doctor and follow the doctor’s advice!

Support for people with allergies is available through the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America.

Allergies are a common and serious health issue. With the guidance of a trained physician and the use of medication and lifestyle changes, it is possible to lead a health, happy and relatively symptom-free life.

Image credits: “Allergens? Who, me?” (cat), Stephanie Phillips, Copyright 2005, used with permission; “Histamines v. Pollen: A Dramatic Reenactment,” Jeffrey D. Deards, Copyright 2011, used with permission; amber waves of grain, Creative Commons by Attribution 2.0 Generic, Ben Fredericson (xjrlokix).