An Egg A Day May Be OK
For decades doctors have warned patients with high cholesterol to avoid high cholesterol foods like eggs, which have about 210 mg per large egg, to reduce the risk of heart disease.
More recent studies found dietary cholesterol, cholesterol obtained from foods, may not increase blood cholesterol and the risks associated with cholesterol and heart disease. This is another example how little we knew then and now about how foods affect our health. Many times a research study leads to exaggerated claims by the media that some foods are super foods that will cure just abut every ailment known to man. But are they really super or just a neat marketing gimmick to increase revenues?
It is true that some foods are healthier than other foods. But when there are claims that foods native to regions 1,000’s of miles from where humans originated, whether you believe it was in Africa or the Middle East, it sheds doubt about the claim. Some doctors and researchers are just trying to make a name for themselves or the organizations they represent. Ideally, all research should be free of conflicts of interest, but in reality they are not. In a multi-billion dollar market, a slight edge can means millions of dollars in profits.
So what’s the current status of eggs? A recent published study by Harvard found eating one egg a day does not increase your risk of heart disease or stroke. Other research indicates increase blood cholesterol is more likely eating foods high in saturated fat than foods high in cholesterol. For most people, the liver is the major cholesterol producer.
While this is good news for most people who love eggs, diabetics may increase their risks of heart disease by eating one egg per day but there was no increased risk of stroke.
If you’ve eliminated eggs from your diet on the advice of your doctor, talk to your doctor before adding them back to your diet. A three egg omelet may still be off limits.
Source: Harvard Health Letter; May 2013.