Ostrich Eggs and Cholesterol
- Moisture, protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, folic acid, magnesium, zinc, iodine and iron content of ostrich eggs are similar to that of chicken eggs. However, vitamin E, pantothenic acid, and manganese appear in lower levels in ostrich eggs than in chicken eggs, according to C. Roselina Angel, Ph.D., at mazuri.com.
This nutritional composition of the ostrich eggs can vary depending on the animals' diet, but only for some substances, such as vitamins A, D, E, K and B12, riboflavin, thiamin, pantothenic, linoleic and folic acids, biotin, manganese, and iodine, stated C. Roselina Angel, Ph.D.
However, cholesterol, water, protein, calcium, phosphorus, amino acids and magnesium remain the same, independent of the animal's diet. - Cholesterol is only found in the egg yolk of ostriches, just as with other birds.
The egg yolk makes up 30 percent of the total volume, and its primordial function is to nurture the developing chick. - The content of cholesterol found per gram of yolk in an ostrich egg is roughly 10.6 to 10.9 milligrams, according to "British Poultry Science" published by PubMed.gov. This represents about 1 percent of the total yolk.
- In a document published by the Healthy Eating Club, the cholesterol intake should be in the range of 200 to 400mg per day. This roughly represents the cholesterol content in 40g of pure ostrich yolk.
- Cholesterol is an essential component to the good metabolism of humans and animals. It plays an important part in the production of hormones, bile acids and fat-soluble vitamins. However, in high levels, it causes many heart diseases, such as arteriosclerosis.
- It has been said that the ostrich egg was a favorite food of Queen Victoria, according to Health Notes, at HollandandBarret.com. Each egg contains the equivalent of two dozen chickens eggs. An ostrich egg weighs 3 lbs., which is 1,360g. It would take at least an hour to hard-boil such a gigantic egg.