Is Eggs Good For Cholesterol? What Do Researchers Say?
Teresa Breaux | Last Updated : September 5, 2022Eggs have been at the center of controversy for many years now as to whether they are healthy or not. The debate about their effects on cholesterol levels has been going on for decades, and it doesn’t seem like it will be stopping anytime soon.
This article gives you all the information you need to know about eggs and your cholesterol levels, including how the research shows that eggs can lower your risk of heart disease, which types of eggs should be eaten, and why eggs are so effective at doing this in the first place.
What Is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat found in all cells in your body. It’s important for keeping cell membranes strong, building cell membranes, making hormones like estrogen and testosterone, lowering blood pressure, and transporting vitamin D to help with absorption.
You can have too much or too little cholesterol in your body. You need it to stay healthy but too much can be a problem.
Why do eggs increase cholesterol levels?
Although the body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, too much cholesterol can lead to heart disease. Eggs contain cholesterol, which is important to a balanced diet.
One large egg, with around 186 mg of cholesterol, contains nearly a third of the amount a person needs per day. Some research has shown that eating eggs does not increase LDL levels (bad cholesterol) as long as you consume fewer than three eggs per week.
The American Heart Association says that two or fewer eggs per week may be enough for most people. Eating more than three eggs per week increases LDL levels substantially in some people due to genetic differences.
If you have high triglycerides, diabetes, or cardiovascular risk factors like smoking or hypertension then it’s best to limit your consumption of eggs because they have a lot of fat and saturated fat which will make these health conditions worse.
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How did studies determine the relationship between eggs and cholesterol?
Many studies have been done to determine how eggs affect cholesterol levels. Some of these studies were observational in nature, meaning they studied how different people’s cholesterol levels were before they began eating eggs (i.e., their baseline cholesterol levels) and then observed if their cholesterol levels increased after they started consuming eggs.
Other studies involved feeding one group of participants an egg a day for a certain amount of time while another group ate something else or nothing at all. The study then measured whether any differences in cholesterol occurred over that period between the two groups.
Yet other experiments gave subjects a single high dose of synthetic lipids – which may simulate some properties of eggs – then looked at any resulting changes in cholesterol level, clotting times, or inflammation.
Can too many eggs be bad for you?
A recent study has shown that eating eggs, in moderation, won’t do you any harm when it comes to cholesterol. The study was done by taking 200 healthy subjects and assigning them to either an egg or egg substitute diet for 12 weeks.
The results showed that while eggs may have a small impact on your cholesterol levels if eaten on a daily basis, those small effects could be negated by following a healthy lifestyle including regular exercise and maintaining a balanced diet. Eggs are still highly nutritious, so eat up!
Where can I find more information about nutrition facts?
Nuts are also great sources of fat. Studies have shown that eating nuts have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and better cholesterol levels.
Almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts are some examples of nuts that you may want to consider adding to your diet for these reasons.
When it comes to fat intake for people who are not on a low-fat diet there is no evidence linking a high amount of saturated fat with increased cardiovascular disease risk.
The most recent scientific analysis shows saturated fats should be approximately 20% or less of our daily caloric intake but the average American only consumes 10% of their calories from this type of fat.
References:
🔵MayoClinic (1998-2022) Eggs: Are they good or bad for my cholesterol? (Available Online):https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/expert-answers/cholesterol/faq-20058468
🔵National Library Of Medicine (n.d) Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: Not for patients at risk of vascular disease (Available Online):https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989358/
Teresa Breaux is a renowned health practitioner who serves as a social worker. She expertized in treating eating disorders and focuses mainly on family-based treatments. Apart from working as a health practitioner, she even provides public awareness through her writings and blogs. Her content includes methods by which you can make delicious and healthy recipes. She is so passionate about writing, especially on issues with eating habits and the importance of eating healthy. If you are someone who loves healthy tips to make your life better, then you must have run across her blogs. You can visit her website and even follow her on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram.