The Truth About Eggs and Heart Disease

Should you or shouldn't you eat eggs? This has been a highly debated question for decades now. Some people believe that the high cholesterol level of eggs -- 187 per egg -- contributes to clogged arteries and heart disease. As a result, many people have eliminated eggs from their diet, choosing other foods with lower levels of cholesterol. However, a new study has found that eggs do not contribute to heart disease.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who consume up to a dozen eggs a week have the same risk of heart disease as their counterparts who do eat few or no eggs.  For the study, researchers from the University of Sydney recruited two groups of participants, one of which were asked to consume 12 eggs a week while the other group were asked to consume fewer than two eggs a week. At the end of the 12-month study, researchers analyzed health markers from both groups of participants to determine how the consumption or non-consumption of eggs affected their health.

Researchers paid close attention to participants' health markers, specifically though involving their heart health. This included blood sugar levels, blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels and more. Researchers explained that eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, but this doesn't necessarily mean that they cause elevated cholesterol levels in the body when consumed. The cholesterol in a person's body is different than the cholesterol found in foods like eggs. Therefore, people can safely consume high-cholesterol foods like eggs without worrying about it contributing to high levels of cholesterol in their body.

Researchers say that participants in the high-egg group were no more likely to develop heart disease than their counterparts in the low-egg group. Furthermore, researchers say that even people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes can safely consume eggs without ill effect.

"Despite differing advice around safe levels of egg consumption for people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, our research indicates people do not need to hold back from eating eggs if this is part of a healthy diet," said the study's lead author and researcher.

The bottom line is that you can continue to eat eggs as part of your regular diet without fear of it harming your health. Eggs are actually a great source of nutrition, offering a plethora of beneficial nutrients like unsaturated fatty acids, potassium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, magnesium and more. Just remember to create a balanced diet that also includes fruits and vegetables.