You may have heard that eggs are bad for people who are trying to watch their cholesterol levels.
Although this was thought to be the case for more than half of the 20th century, recent findings have shown that eating eggs can actually have a beneficial impact on blood cholesterol and even triglyceride levels.
The reason eggs were long thought to be a poor food choice for people trying to keep cholesterol levels in balance is that eggs are, indeed, high in cholesterol. However, there is little evidence to support a strong connection between dietary cholesterol—i.e., eating cholesterol in the form of eggs—and blood cholesterol levels.
A study from 2006 published in the Journal of Nutrition discovered that 33 participants over the ago of 60 who ate 1 egg per day for 5 weeks increased nutrients that boost eye health (lutein and zeaxanthin) without affecting cholesterol levels.
A 2008 study published in the Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences looked at a group of 19 middle-age, healthy participants who ate a whole egg every day for one month. Researchers found no difference in the participants’ cholesterol levels at all.
In fact, a 2013 study published in the journal Lipids showed that eating whole eggs actually increased levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, and allowed the HDL molecules to function more effectively. For HDL, higher numbers are always welcomed. HDL prevents heart disease and stroke.
How Many Eggs should you Eat each Day?
According to mayo clinic, most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week with no increase in their risk of heart disease. Some studies have shown that this level of egg consumption may actually prevent some types of strokes.
But the story is different for people who have diabetes. In this ever-growing population, eating seven eggs a week significantly increases the risk of heart disease.
The Mayo Clinic states that diabetics who eat seven eggs per week “significantly” increase their risk of heart disease. A 2010 analysis published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology stated that participants in the Physicians’ Health Study who became diabetic during the course of the 20-year study were twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease if they ate one egg per day.7
If you like eggs but don’t want the extra cholesterol, use only the egg whites but be aware that although the yolk of the egg contains all the cholesterol, it also contains many of the egg’s nutrients. So be sure to eat the yolk from time to time even if you are eating in a cholesterol-conscious way.
