If you are a fitness enthusiast, you must be eating a lot of eggs.
One egg packs seven grams of complete protein and contains all of the eight essential amino acids required to build and maintain muscle.
Eggs are one of the only natural food sources of vitamin D with one large egg containing 6% of the daily value. Adequate vitamin D intake reduces the risk of a stress fracture, body inflammation, and impaired muscle function.
Eggs are also a source of other vital vitamins and minerals such as choline, zinc, and magnesium, which are pivotal for good overall health. One large egg contains about 250 mg of choline which helps in delaying fatigue. Zinc is also essential for testosterone production which aids in building lean muscle mass.
Pre-workout
Eggs, whether it’s sunny side up, soft-boiled, poached, or scrambled, are a great pre-workout snack when consumed one hour before your training. Adding on a toast, you will get enough carbohydrates to replenish your body’s glycogen. You can also include a granola bar, a piece of fruit, oatmeal, crackers, or some yogurt.
Post-workout
Both protein and carbohydrate are essential post-workout to help repair and grow muscle and to top up muscle and liver glycogen stores. To rebuild muscle, protein is needed relatively soon within the first hour after training, together with carbohydrates and fluids. For a portable snack to enjoy post-workout, you can’t go wrong with a simple serving of hard-boiled eggs.
Recovery
Eggs have the highest biological value for protein next to the milk. They are also the perfect recovery food! Other than your protein shakes or bars, you can get the protein and carbohydrates from egg-based dishes. Eggs go with practically anything. You can put an egg on almost anything – pizza, pasta, grains, bread, oatmeal, meats, vegetables, and more!
