Are eggs good or bad for you? The truth may lie somewhere in between

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Unfortunately, science cannot find a definitive answer to that either.

Now, a new study of more than 500,000 people has shown that eating even part of a whole egg – with its cholesterol-laden yellow yoke – increases the risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Experts were skeptical.

Despite many years of research, this question about eggs and health has not been answered, with multiple observational studies over the decades showing conflicting results – some suggesting moderate egg intake is good, while others suggest it may be bad, said Riyaz. Patel, a cardiologist consultant at University College London.

“This study, while well-conducted, unfortunately only adds more noise to the discussion,” Patel said in a statement.

Three or more eggs a week increase your risk of heart disease and early death, the study says
The study results are problematic because they only asked people about their egg consumption once and then followed them for years without checking to see if their diet had changed, said Dr. Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

“They’re only getting a snapshot,” said Willett, who is also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“The conclusions of this study are exaggerated,” said Ada Garcia, associate professor of public health nutrition at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, in a statement. “Blaming eggs only for an increased risk of cardiovascular disease is a simplistic and reductionist approach to the concept of nutrition and disease prevention.”

What do eggs replace?

The poultry industry has long touted the “incredible edible egg”. For just 75 calories, they say, an egg provides 7 grams of high-quality protein, 5 grams of fat and 1.6 grams of saturated fat, along with iron, vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin.

A large egg can contain about 185 milligrams of cholesterol.

Eggs are affordable, making them an inexpensive nutritional powerhouse for families with limited food budgets. Many people on popular low-carb diets like keto also rely heavily on eggs in their meal plans.

The problem, of course, is the cholesterol level in the yellow yolk of eggs: one large egg yolk can deliver about 185 milligrams of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is not an ogre. Cholesterol, made by the liver, is in every cell in the body and is used to make hormones, vitamin D, digestive compounds, and more. Sometimes a person’s body can make too much cholesterol, which leads to a build-up of waxy plaque in the blood vessels and later cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol plays a role in our diet, but it’s more complicated than we used to think, said Willett, who has studied the effects of diet on the prevention of serious disease for over 40 years.

Lower cholesterol earlier in life to prevent heart problems later, study says
Diet guidelines were used to recommend an upper limit of 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day. Today, guidelines recommend eating as little as possible by keeping saturated fats at less than 10% of the daily calories.

The key, Willett said, is to look at the overall nutritional pros and cons of the food, as well as what replaces the foods in the diet.

Take fish, for example. Fish contains cholesterol, but also provides essential omega-3 fatty acids that are crucial for optimal health.

And saturated fats from butter, whole dairy products and fatty cuts of meat have a much greater influence on raising LDL (low density lipoproteins) levels in the blood than dietary cholesterol sources such as eggs.

“If someone replaces eggs with donuts, other refined starches and sugar or saturated fats, I would rather eat eggs,” said Willett.

“But for someone who really wants to be in optimal health. Emphasizing plant protein sources such as oatmeal and nuts cut from steel would be a better way to go.”

Certain populations may want to monitor their egg intake.

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“Someone who has a hard time taking medication for their blood cholesterol levels is probably better off keeping eggs on the low side,” said Willett. “Eggs don’t need to be eliminated altogether, but I think the old recommendation of no more than two eggs a week is actually still a good recommendation for most people.”

People with type 2 diabetes should also be wary. The 2020 Harvard study found that higher egg intake by people with type 2 diabetes was associated with increased cardiovascular risk, a link duplicated in previous studies.

What about proteins?

Can egg yolks be safely replaced with egg whites? The new PLOS study found that replacing half a whole egg with an equivalent amount of protein or replacement eggs reduced death from cardiovascular disease by 3%.

“In my opinion, the authors’ recommendation to replace whole eggs with proteins / substitutes is not supported by all the available evidence,” said Patel of UCL.

“Most studies have not looked at eggs without yolk,” said Willett, “mainly because protein consumption is quite low in the general population. The lowest risk is replacing eggs with nuts and vegetable protein sources.”

Patel added, “I don’t think this study changes the general advice that for most people, eggs can be eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet unless they are advised not to do so because of a specific medical or medical condition. nutritional reasons. “

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