Eggs cleared of causing high cholesterol
Historical Suspicion of Eggs
Poultry eggs have long been regarded with suspicion and labelled as high cholesterol foods due to their association with raising levels of blood cholesterol, leading to heart disease and heart attacks. This dates back many years, due in part to decades old advice from the British Heart Foundation (revised in 2005) that egg consumption should be limited to two or three eggs per person per week because they increase cholesterol. Now experts have proven that very little of the cholesterol in eggs actually finds it way into the bloodstream.
Previous egg cholesterol research was mis-interpreted
A new report from the British Nutrition Foundation seems to indicate that conclusions drawn from this earlier research on eggs and diet may have been incorrect, due to it’s inability to differentiate between dietary cholesterol and dietary saturated fat. So, in other words poultry eggs may have been the fall guy for the real bad guy – saturated fat, which is found in great quantities in so many of the foods that we often eat every day without necessarily checking what we are eating contains.
It is still correct that high levels of blood cholesterol can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, but it has now been discovered due to improved testing science that most of the blood cholesterol in our blood actually comes from non-dietary sources – typically obesity, lack of exercise and smoking cigarettes, and dietary staurated fat. The new research concludes that this is the primary cause, not eggs, of more than two thirds of the cholesterol in our blood.
Saturated fat mainly to blame, not poultry eggs
Almost half of the people polled in a recent United Kingdom survey still thought they should eat a maximum of three eggs a week, due to the information which has been propagated by health organisations over the years. But the evidence now indicates that there is no reason to limit the weekly consumption of eggs for most people, as there is no evidence to suggest that they cause an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
A respected UK Doctor – Dr Hilary Jones, MD, has highlighted the confusion surrounding dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. He said that many people think by reducing dietary cholesterol – for example avoiding food like eggs will reduce their risk of heart disease. But he points out that the most important dietary risk factor comes from consumption of saturated fat.
New advice about egg consumption from health organisations
The British Heart Foundation as well as other health organisations have responded to this new research by issuing their own statements. A BHF spokesperson, Victoria Taylor, Senior Dietician, responded by stating :-
“We recommend that eggs can be eaten as part of a balanced diet. There is cholesterol present in eggs but this does not usually make a great contribution to your level of blood cholesterol. She continues ”If you need to reduce your cholesterol level it is more important that you cut down on the amount of saturated fat in your diet from foods like fatty meat, full fat dairy products and cakes, biscuits [cookies] and pastries.”
The American Heart Association has also removed their previous recommendations regarding eggs and heart health.
special advice for people who suffer from familial hypercholesterolaemia
The exception to the above advice is that people suffering from the genetic disorder that causes high cholesterol levels – familial hypercholesterolaemia. If you are one of the one in five hundred of the population who suffer from this condition, then the advice to restrict your dietary intake of cholesterol still applies.
Two eggs a day can reduce cholesterol and help you lose weight!
The most amazing aspect of this latest research is that a study published by in 2008 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition has shown that eating two eggs per day, as part of a calorie controlled diet, can actually reduce your blood cholesterol level, and help you to lose weight. So if youe have a favourite recipe with eggs, you may be able to enjoy it once again without worrying about your heart health. It just goes to show you that the old expression that you probably heard from your parents is probably good advice – ‘everything in moderation’.