Are egg yolks really that bad? Do they increase cholesterol and lead to heart disease? These are some of the questions I’d like to refute in today’s post. It all goes back to Ancel Keys and the Seven Countries Study, which found an association between countries where fat consumption was the highest and increased rates of heart disease. This sparked the fat-phobia movement-- healthful foods such as eggs and dairy products (I will cover dairy in later blog posts!) were demonized, and fat-free, but not necessarily more healthful, foods were advertised for consumption.
However, the new U.S. dietary guidelines removed the limits on dietary cholesterol. Only about 20% of our blood cholesterol comes from our diet. The rest of the cholesterol in our bodies is produced by our livers because our bodies NEED cholesterol! Cholesterol is important for maintaining cell membranes and structures. It also helps cells adjust to changes in temperature and is used by nerve cells for insulation. Further, cholesterol is important for synthesizing hormones such as the sex hormones testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen. The liver uses cholesterol to make bile, which processes and digests the fats we consume. Finally, our bodies need cholesterol to make vitamin D. With the already low level of sun exposure in our society today, it is important to have cholesterol for those times when we are exposed to the sun to convert cholesterol into vitamin D!
Before these new US dietary guidelines, it was recommended not to exceed consumption of more than 300 mg of cholesterol a day. One large egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol, so one could see why eggs were criticized as raising cholesterol. However, in one study, eggs actually increased HDL (good) cholesterol in adult men and favored the formation of larger LDL (we want larger cholesterol because it doesn’t stick to the arterial walls and clog them!). In another study, egg consumption increased both the formation of large LDL and HDL. This does not necessarily link egg consumption to atherosclerosis or heart disease. A meta-analysis published in 2013 compiled 17 prospective studies on egg consumption and health. The researchers found that eggs had no association with either heart disease or stroke in healthy individuals. A study in 2006, found that same results between dietary cholesterol from eggs and rates of CHD.
All of these results indicate that eating eggs and cholesterol does not have an association with heart disease!
Further, eggs are rich in nutrients! Eggs are rich in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, which is important for eye health, specifically cataracts and macular degeneration. One study found that consuming 1-2 egg yolks a day for just a month and a half increased serum levels of lutein 28-50% and zeaxanthin by 114-142%! Eggs contain all of the amino acids and are high in vitamins D, B-12, B-2, B-5, B-6, iron, selenium and choline (which is important for brain health).
Finally, eggs are satiating and may help individuals lose weight. In one study, overweight men and women were either provided a breakfast of 2 eggs or bagels on a calorie-restricted diet. After 2 months, the egg group had greater reduction in BMI, more weight loss, reduction in waist circumference, and body fat, even though both breakfasts contained the SAME number of calories!!
Conclusion: Eat eggs! And eat the yolks! They are highly nutritious food! If you can, opt for pasture-raised eggs that feed on grass and natural seed versus corn-fed or caged eggs. They will be much more nutritious and have better fat content! No more yolking around, this blog post is EGGCELLENT news!
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