Three decades ago, Brian was eating a poached egg on toast every morning for breakfast. He was healthy, exercised regularly and had a very good cholesterol profile.
But that was an era that stressed low fat and low cholesterol, and one egg yolk contains 185 milligrams of cholesterol, roughly two thirds of the daily limit recommended by the American Heart Association. As a preventive measure, Brian decided to delete the daily egg from his diet except as a treat on weekends.
Today, Brian is still healthy and has a cholesterol profile very similar to the one he had in 1984. And he wonders: did I have to deny myself a daily egg for all these years? The answer is probably no.
Many large prospective studies have found no significant association between egg consumption–up to seven a week–and the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.
For example, the Nurses’ Health Study, with data on 117,000 subjects followed for 8 to 14 years, found that those eating one egg a week had about the same heart disease risk as those eating one egg a day. And a 2013 meta-analysis of 17 studies found no association between egg consumption and the risk of heart attack, stroke or death in otherwise healthy individuals.
There is more involved here than Brian’s (or your) pleasure. Eggs are good for you–one of the most nutritious foods around, in fact.
PROTEINS: Eggs are one of the best sources of high-quality protein–7 grams in each egg. Proteins are used to build and repair muscle, skin, hair, organs and other tissues.
Of the 21 amino acids used by the body to build proteins, 9 are known as “essential” because they can be obtained only from diet. Eggs have all 9 of these essential amino acids.
MULTIVITAMINS: Some nutritionists have compared the egg to a multivitamin because it contains small amounts of virtually every vitamin and mineral needed by the human body–calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, manganese, vitamin E and folate. In addition, it contains significant amounts of:
• vitamin B12 (9 percent of recommended daily allowance);
• vitamin B2 or riboflavin (15 percent);
• vitamin A (6 percent);
• vitamin B5 or panthothenic acid (7 percent); and
• selenium (22 percent).
Most of these vitamins are in the yolk of the egg whereas much of the protein is concentrated in the white.
CHOLINE: Egg yolks, along with beef liver, are the two principal sources of choline, a nutrient that is essential for the health of the brain and the cardiovascular system.
Low choline intake can result in inflammation, liver disease and, in pregnant women, a risk of birth defects.
According to one study, 90 percent of Americans had some degree of choline deficiency.
LUTEIN, ZEAXANTHIN: Among other nutrients found in egg yolks are lutein and zeaxanthin, which have important protective benefits for the eyes, reducing the risk of both macular degeneration and cataracts.
Lutein also protects against the early progression of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
And eggs may be beneficial to heart health in other ways, as well. They tend to raise HDL (the good cholesterol) and increase the size of LDL particles, making them less likely to pose a heart risk.
The high cholesterol content of eggs is generally not considered as important as once believed. Most cholesterol is manufactured in the liver, regulated in part by diet. When a lot of cholesterol is consumed, the liver simply makes less. Saturated and trans fats are much more important factors in raising serum cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
THE OTHER SIDE: There are, however, individuals who need to limit their egg consumption–most notably diabetics and persons with familial, or genetically determined, high cholesterol.
In addition, some doctors believe that persons with diagnosed heart disease should limit their egg consumption and that even healthy persons should eat no more than one egg a day, including the amounts found in breads and baked goods.
Data from 21,327 participants in the Physicians’ Health Study followed for an average of 20 years concluded that the consumption of up to six eggs a week “has no major effect on the risk of CVD (cardiovascular disease) and mortality.”But subjects consuming seven or more eggs a week had a slightly greater risk of overall mortality, and this association was stronger among diabetic subjects. Diabetics eating the most eggs had a 1.5 times higher risk than diabetics eating the fewest eggs.
This was not a placebo controlled trial and does not account for other traits–positive and negative–egg eaters share. In restaurants, and even at home, eggs are usually accompanied by bacon or sausage, hash brown or American fried potatoes and buttered toast. And some studies have found that heavy egg eaters also tend to be smokers.
On the other side, egg lovers are usually breakfast eaters, and persons who eat breakfast tend to follow healthier eating habits.
Most eggs on the market are produced in a factory environment with thousands of hens crammed into a small space and fed a grain-based diet. In such an environment, sanitation is an issue. Salmonella is more of a problem today than it was in your grandmother’s time, and that is why health organizations caution against eating undercooked eggs.
Alternatives may be labeled “organic,” “cage free” or “pastured.” Because of the diet and living conditions of the laying hens, these alternatives are believed by some to be tastier and more nutritious. There are also omega-3 enriched eggs from hens fed flax seed. Although these alternatives are more expensive (the cost amounts to 40 or 50 cents per egg rather 10 or 20 cents), they are believed by some to be worth it in terms of nutrition and health.
If you can’t afford the more expensive options, though, any egg is a healthy choice. Reversing a previous stand, American Heart Association guidelines now approve an egg a day for healthy Americans who limit their total cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day.
REFERENCES:
John Berardi, Ph.D., “Eggs: healthy or not?” HuffPost Healthy Living, July 16, 2013.
Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D. “Are chicken eggs good or bad for my cholesterol?” MayoClinic.com, January 12, 2012.
Luc Djousse and J. Michael Gaziano, “Egg consumption in relation to cardiovascular disease and mortality: the Physicians’ Health Study,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008:87:964-969.
“Eggs and heart disease,” The Nutrition Source, Harvard Health.
“Eggs: dietary friend or foe?” WebMD Feature reviewed by Louise Chang, M.D.
Kris Gunnars, “Why are eggs good for you? An egg-ceptional superfood,” AuthorityNutrition,com. January 30, 2013.
Kris Gunnars, “6 reasons why eggs are the healthiest food on the planet,” AuthorityNutrition.com, July 29, 2013.
Dr. Joel Kahn, “Are eggs healthy or not? A cardiologist explains,” MindBodyGreen, April 30, 2013.
Ying Rong, et al, “Egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies,” BMJ, 2013;346:e8539.
Katherine Talmadge, “Eggs don’t deserve their bad reputation, studies show,” LiveScience.com. August 30, 2013.
Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, “Good eggs: for nutrition, they’re hard to beat,” WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Expert Column, reviewed March 5, 2005.
07/21/2014
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