Recently I got to chat with Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist & brain disorder specialist & he was giving me all the deets on his favorite brain foods.
Sidenote: He works with Miley Cyrus & Justin Bieber.
Miley has been seeing him since she was 16 years old to help with anxiety, stress & her overall mental health & Dr. Amen has helped Justin with depression, addiction & anxiety.
His podcast episode is coming soon so you’ll hear all the specifics there, but in the meantime, I wanted to do a blog post on a food he recommends, that me & Zaza already LOVE.
EGGS.
In this post you’ll learn all about how eggs are a beauty superfood, but also an amazing brain food. You’ll also get my 3 favorite ways to eat eggs.
The Beauty Benefits of Eggs:
♡ a superfood for your hair.
That’s right! You can use egg whites on your hair. They’re filled with selenium, calcium & potassium to keep your hair nice & shiny.
♡ help with hair growth.
Eggs are full of biotin which aids hair & nail growth.
♡ nourish your skin.
They’re loaded with fatty acids that help moisturize your skin from the inside out, strengthen cell membranes, & also produce a healthy natural oil barrier.
♡ tighten pores.
The albumin in egg whites can be put directly on your skin to tighten pores & remove excess oil.
♡ prevent acne.
They have anti-bacterial properties that can help aging skin or acne prone skin.
The lutein in eggs provides hydration & elasticity for skin & accompanying protein helps repair tissue & keeps skin firm. Egg yolks in particular are loaded with fatty acids that add moisture to skin while egg whites include albumin, a simple protein that tightens pores & removes excess oil. { via }
Other Benefits of Eggs:
♡ increases energy.
The Vitamin B12 content in eggs can increase your energy levels.
♡ can help with weight management.
Eggs are filling & also a great source of protein. Protein keeps you feeling fuller longer & can also help with weight loss while being full of nutrients.
TSC Hot Tip: always keep boiled eggs in the fridge. They’re so easy to grab on your way out the door so you don’t end up at the In & Out drive-through in a hangry rage. LOL.
♡ contain choline.
Many of us don’t get enough choline which is crucial for healthy cell membranes & signaling our brain. Choline is a neurotransmitter that affects your mood & memory.
♡ reduce risk of heart disease.
Eggs raise your “good” cholesterol levels which in turn reduces your risk of heart disease.
♡ great for eye health.
Lutein & Zeaxanthin are antioxidants that reduce instances of cataracts & macular degeneration. You should know egg yolks contain the most of these nutrients.
♡ complete protein.
Eggs are a complete protein which means they contain all the amino acids which you’ve probably heard “are the building blocks of our bodies.” { via }
SO. MANY. BENEFITS.
Beauty really does come from within which is why I dedicated a whole chapter in my new book GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE SUN to glowing from the inside out.
Whenever I buy eggs I try to get them at the Farmer’s Market. I just want the most organic, pasture-raised, high- quality eggs I can find. All the things please.
Pete & Gerry’s eggs are my favorite. They’re free-range eggs, all organic from a small family farms & you can get the nationwide. They’re so good & Zaza loves them too.
My favorite way to eat eggs is to make The Nanz Delicious Egg Salad. It reminds me of her- we loved a cornichon. Otherwise me & Zaza like to eat them scrambled with veggies & I always cook them with avocado oil or coconut oil for extra fatty acids.
Another way is Kristin Cavallari’s Loaded Egg Sandwich. You’ll need:
+ 2 pieces of bread
+ 1-2 tbsp of mayo
+ 1/2 an avocado
+ 2 thin slices of heirloom tomato
+ 2 slices of prosciutto
+ 2 eggs, over-easy or sunny-side up
+ black pepper
+ microgreens
+ hot sauce
DIRECTIONS:
Layer your bread with mayo, avo, tomato, prosciutto, & then your cooked egg. Top with S & P, microgreens & hot sauce. ( This recipes makes 2 open-faced sandwiches. )
Just to go off on a tangent here…I’m obsessed with Yellowbird Habanero hot sauce. Eggs just need a bit of spice in my opinion. All their flavors are amazing, but the Habanero is my favorite. The ingredients are insane, it’s a Texan company, & it really gives your eggs a kick.
It’s made with organic carrot, citrus & ginger, is low in sugar ( 1 gram ), low in carbs ( 2 grams ) & I’m just obsessed. As you can probably tell. It’s good on pizza & pasta too.
For Zaza I also like to incorporate eggs in her green pancakes by Weeknight Bite. We add spinach but here are some other add-in ideas from Lindsay.
Base recipe: 1 banana + 2 eggs (that’s it!)
Add-ins: spices, nut butter, ground flax seeds, chia seeds, spinach… get creative!
DIRECTIONS:
- Mash banana in a bowl & whisk in eggs until smooth. Add whatever add-ins you’d like. If you want to add spinach, just put everything into the blender and blend it up.
- Warm oil in a skillet – I use olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, or avocado oil.
Spoon the batter into the pan. A little tip to make the pancakes thicker and fluffier: once the batter starts to set, add another spoonful on top before flipping to give the pancakes a little extra height. Then flip and cook for another minute or so on the other side.
Are you an egg lover? If you’re not, try a flax egg in your baking. Kristin Cavallari has a green banana muffin recipe that uses one & I’m just in love with these muffins.
Happy baking.
x, lauryn
+ check out why this is the only pan you need in your kitchen.
++ scope why I love these low-carb, high-fiber tortillas.
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