Eggs Can Be Healthy!

Recently, my friend Joe emailed me with this question:

“When I was growing up, we used to have eggs all of the time for breakfast. When I got older, I stopped eating eggs because I didn’t think they were healthy; I heard that eggs had cholesterol, which is bad for me! Can I enjoy eggs if I am at risk for high cholesterol?”

Well, this is the age old debate about whether eggs are healthy or not and whether they can be consumed on a heart healthy diet.

Let’s start at the beginning: What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a fat-like waxy substance found in our blood and cells. It helps produce some hormones (like sex hormones and vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption) and it makes up cell membranes. Not only do we find cholesterol in foods we eat (all foods from animal sources, like beef, poultry, and dairy products—and foods made with dairy products) but our bodies also produce some cholesterol. Serum or blood cholesterol (what we hear about when people say “my cholesterol levels are high”) is cholesterol that is circulating through our bloodstream. If we have high levels in our blood, there is a greater risk that we will develop heart disease or have a stroke.

What are the cholesterol guidelines?

The American Heart Association and the MyPyramid Plan suggest limiting cholesterol from food sources to less than 300 mg of cholesterol a day. As one whole egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, that doesn’t leave much room for other cholesterol-containing foods. For example, one 3-ounce, 95% lean hamburger contains 65 mg of cholesterol; skim milk contains 5 mg; whole-fat dairy products and high fat meats will contain more than this).

So where does the confusion lie?

Well, some scientists state that even if you eat high amounts of cholesterol in food, it does not affect your blood levels of cholesterol. Other scientists state that it DOES matter how much cholesterol you eat and whether your blood cholesterol levels will go up (if you eat too much cholesterol-containing foods) or go down (if you decrease your consumption).

From what I understand, scientists are beginning to think that every person is different, and that genetics (family history) accounts for some of your cholesterol levels. So, in some people, if your family has a history of high cholesterol and heart disease, there is a greater chance that your blood cholesterol levels will be high even if you eat a low-cholesterol diet. Make sense?

And this is where the debate continues. Some resources tell you to not believe the hype that eating lots of eggs will lead to high cholesterol, and some (like the American Heart Association, the Dietary Guidelines, and the MyPyramid Plan) will tell you that it does.  I believe that these sources must tell you so because they need to make recommendations for the person at risk of heart disease (in the case of the American Heart Association), and for the general population. These guidelines suggest limiting whole egg consumption to 3 whole eggs (or 3 egg yolks) per week. Egg whites, because they do not contain any cholesterol, can be consumed in relatively unlimited quantities.

If you want more specific guidelines as to how much cholesterol you can eat, I would talk with your doctor and registered dietitian. Your doctor will be able to prescribe blood work to test your cholesterol levels, and then, working in conjunction with your dietitian, will be able to see if genetics and your diet play a role in your cholesterol levels. If you are like my husband, his cholesterol levels are great even though he does eat a higher cholesterol diet than I do. If you are like me, genetics plays a big role in my cholesterol levels, and it is essential for me to watch my cholesterol intake.

My suggestions:

1. When cooking, use egg whites when possible instead of whole eggs: 2 egg whites are equal to 1 whole egg.
2. If you have high cholesterol or have a strong family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, limit your whole egg consumption to 3 per week. However, if you do not usually consume high cholesterol foods, then you may be able to eat an egg per day within a low-cholesterol diet.
3. If you do not have high cholesterol and do not have a family history of high cholesterol/heart disease, it may be ok to eat an egg every day. Talk with your doctor and registered dietitian for more specific guidelines for your body, though.

_{Photo by Clairity}

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