Hey there, hungry person… ready to enjoy a light egg salad lunch? Wait a minute… not so fast.
We need to talk about egg salad, and we need to do it now. Most of the time, egg salad is something
of an also-ran when it comes to mayonnaise-based salads. It's not quite a side dish, like potato
salad or pasta salad, but it's also not a particularly satisfying sandwich when
compared to chicken and tuna salad. And according to nutritionist Serena Poon,
egg salad might have more nutritional drawbacks than benefits. What a bummer.
Egg salad ingredients can vary quite a bit from recipe to recipe,
but the basic dish consists of totally simple ingredients. We're talking hard-boiled eggs,
some type of seasoning, and lots and lots of mayonnaise. A single serving of egg salad
made with two chopped eggs and two tablespoons of mayonnaise adds up to approximately 540 calories.
And that's not figuring in all the calories in bread, should you decide to make an egg salad
sandwich. Suddenly, that "light" egg salad lunch doesn't sound quite so light, does it?
And then there's the question of fat. When made with mayo, a single serving of egg salad can
contain as much as 30 grams of fat. As for cholesterol, we're talking somewhere in the
vicinity of 380 milligrams. Worth noting: Mayo would only be responsible for about 10 milligrams
of that cholesterol. But dietary cholesterol isn't the same thing as blood cholesterol,
and medical research suggests that the cholesterol found in egg yolks doesn't actually pose a
significant risk to your health. In fact, it may even raise levels of "good" cholesterol.
Ok, so then what is the problem with egg salad, exactly? Well, according to Poon,
the fat content is the real problem here. She points out that if you're eating 2,000 calories
a day, you should aim for somewhere between 44 and 77 grams of fat. This means that you'd have
to exercise caution for the rest of the day after wolfing down your serving of egg salad.
She also warns of the dangers of excess saturated fat consumption, insisting that
"Eating too much saturated fat raises cholesterol and can lead to cardiovascular conditions."
According to The Cleveland Clinic, a 2,000-calorie diet shouldn't include more
than 22 grams of saturated fat grams per day, so egg salad would only put you only a little over a
quarter of the way there. Nevertheless, it's something worth keeping in mind.
Poon is also deeply concerned about all the highly processed oils found in many brands of mayonnaise.
She says that soybean oil — an ingredient you'll find in Hellman's mayo — is particularly high
in omega-6 fatty acids. In regards to that latter point, she says that
"Eating too many omega-6 fatty acids contributes to inflammation,
which is a precursor for most diseases."
Bearing all of this in mind, you're probably wondering: Is there a way
to eat a healthier egg salad so that I can actually just enjoy my lunch? Perhaps.
For one thing, Poon suggests using organic, pasture-raised, cage-free eggs. They won't be
lower in fat or calories than regular supermarket eggs, but they will contain added nutrients. You
can also swap out the mayonnaise for plain yogurt or Greek yogurt. Alternately, you can track down
mayo made with olive oil or avocado oil, both of which are better for you than soybean oil.
Oh, and don't be afraid to add in a bunch of healthy ingredients. As Poon points out,
"The more herbs and vegetables you include, the better."
The possibilities are endless. You could always add avocados for a double dose of healthy fats,
or add some crisp, delicious celery, as Martha Stewart and chef Emeril Lagasse
recommend. Lagasse also adds lots of shallots, parsley, and green onions,
bringing on the BAM! with lots of dry mustard and Hungarian paprika.
It turns out we've been making egg salad wrong our whole entire lives,
but it's not too late to turn the page and start eating lunch the right way. Phew.
"Mmmm… egg salady."
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus,
even more Mashed videos about your favorite food are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.