Protein! It’s so important for building and repairing muscle, organs and bones and is always the focus of a new fad diet prioritizing it over that other macronutrient that has become a dirty word – carbs!
While it’s true that some higher protein diets are associated with weight loss, it’s not quite as easy as dropping the carbs and focusing mainly on protein and fat and there are some potential risks associated with eating too much protein.
One of the breakdown products of protein is nitrogen, which gets flushed out by your kidneys when you pee. The more protein in your diet, the more water you lose and the more at-risk for dehydration you become. So make sure you drink lots of water if you are upping your protein intake.
Another thing for us women to really think about as we get older is our bone health, and studies have shown an association with high levels of protein consumption and poor bone health due to calcium loss.
While, I’m not a big proponent of high protein, low carb diets, I do recognize the value of protein and definitely recommend low fat, nutrient dense forms of protein and lots of plant protein to help preserve and optimize your health. Good options are; wild fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, whole grains (like quinoa) and lean meats.
Not sure how much protein is right for you? The average woman needs about 46g of protein per day, but it’s usually calculated based on your body weight — most adults need about 0.8g protein per kilogram of body weight, and up to 1.2 to 1.8g per kg if you are very active.
Consuming more than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is considered excessive.
This recipe includes some serious nutritional powerhouses – avocado, sweet potato (skin on for added fibre!) and egg. Eggs got a bad name way back when, but it’s important that we recognize all the many things they bring to the table!
Often referred to as “nature’s multivitamin”, eggs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein, good fats and antioxidants in a low calorie package (one egg is about 77 calories). Most of these nutrients are in the yolk part of the egg, while the egg white is mainly just protein.
Despite containing a fair amount of cholesterol, eggs have actually been found to increase your good cholesterol (HDL) and help to decrease your risk of heart disease. Many studies have been done since the 80’s when eggs were considered ‘bad’ for you and researchers have found that dietary cholesterol actually has very little impact on blood cholesterol.
Eggs are a great choice for women as we age, because our lean body mass tends to decline over time, so high quality proteins are important. Eggs are also filling and have been linked to reductions in body weight and body fat.
Beyond these benefits, eggs deliver nutrients like choline, lutein and zeaxanthin which are related to brain, liver, heart and eye health!
Lots of great reasons to give this one a try. If I’m making this for a crowd, I will often put the sweet potato rounds on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven to avoid using the toaster constantly.
Literally EVERYONE who has tried this recipe has LOVED it! And it’s truly sooo simple.
I’m dying to know what you think of it?
xo
Jen
Poached Egg With Avocado Sweet Potato Toast
Ingredients
- 1/2 sweet potato or yam sliced into 1/4 inch thick round ‘toasts’
- 1/2 avocado
- 2 eggs
- Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes - optional
Instructions
- Slice raw sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick round “toasts” (not too thin or they will burn). Poke fork holes into each "toast" and place in the microwave to soften for 30 seconds.
- Place each sweet potato round into toaster, on med-high setting and toast. Keep re-toasting until sweet potato is cooked through and soft enough. (It may take 3-4 times to cook it through)
- Place the avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork. Add sea salt and pepper, to taste.
- While the sweet potato is toasting, poach the eggs to your liking.
- Spread mashed avocado on top of the sweet potato toasts and top with the poached egg and more salt and pepper, plus red pepper flakes (if desired)
- Serve immediately.
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