Egg Industry Blind Spot

Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.

The egg industry loves to boast that eggs have these two compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin, that appear so protective against cataracts and macular degeneration. What the industry does is feed hens yellow corn, alfalfa, even marigold petals—anything to boost the egg content up to 166 micrograms per large egg. So, they say, don’t worry about the whole cholesterol thing; eat eggs to protect your sight.

Eggs can actually have up to 250 micrograms; a cup of carrots, though, has over 1,000. A single serving of collard greens, closer to 15,000, and a serving of kale tops the chart at nearly 24,000.

One spoonful of spinach has as much as nine eggs. One spoonful! For eye protection, the recommendation is to get 10,000 a day. So that’s like a third-cup of spinach or 40 eggs. More than three cartons of eggs a day, every day.

That’s nutrition unscrambled?

Here are the top ten sources of these critical eyesight-saving nutrients. All greens. Eggs don’t even make the top 100. To get to eggs, you have to scroll down a couple pages, and according to the USDA, come in right behind Cap’n Crunch with Crunch Berries.

There are more phtyonutrients in Crunch Berries than there are in eggs.

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Images thanks to Kath, Ariusz, Robin, theallamericanchinesecookbook.com, and Paul Sherman