Fat
Eggs contain 9.9g of fat per 100 g and contributes with approximately 62% of the total amount of energy in eggs, with fat containing 37 kJ/g. Fat from eggs constitutes with 2% of the Danes' total daily intake of fat.
Fats are also called lipids and cover a group of substances that are insoluble in water. In the body there are fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids and sterols among others.
Fat has many different functions in the body, depending on the type. It works as an energy storage, as a carrier for vitamins and as a part of the structure of the cell membranes. In addition, some fatty acids are vital, while other types of fat should not be consumed in excessive amounts. Therefore, it is important to be aware of how much fat you eat and which kind of fat is in the food.
The fatty acids can be divided into saturated and unsaturated depending on the structure. The saturated fatty acids occur in both vegetable and animal fats. The diet's content of saturated fat must be kept low as it can otherwise increase the risk of lifestyle diseases.
The unsaturated fatty acids are further divided into single- or polyunsaturated fatty acids - this difference also lies in the structure of the molecule. The most commonly mentioned polyunsaturated fatty acids are the essential fatty acids n-3 and n-6. These fatty acids have essential functions in the organism but cannot be formed in the body and must be consumed through the diet.
The fatty acids in Danish eggs are distributed with 32% saturated fatty acids, 46% monounsaturated fatty acids and 22% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eggs also contain the essential n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They constitute 3.2% and 16.6% of the total fatty acid content, respectively.
Cholesterol is a sterol that is both part of cell membranes and used to produce bile acids, vitamin D and sex hormones in the body. Cholesterol is formed in the body but is also provided through the diet from animal foods. Eggs have a high level of cholesterol, which is found mainly in the egg yolk. However, the content of cholesterol should not keep us from eating eggs, as research shows that blood cholesterol levels are more dependent on the dietary content of saturated fat and not cholesterol.