Much of the confusion around eggs has stemmed from the fact that egg yolks contain cholesterol. While some cholesterol in our body is essential, the type and amount of cholesterol in our blood correlates with heart disease risk.
While egg yolks are high in cholesterol, it is saturated fatty acids that have a greater effect on our blood cholesterol levels.
Are eggs healthy?
- Eggs are a nutritious whole food which are an inexpensive source of protein and contain other nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamin D, B12, selenium and choline.
- When eating eggs, it is also important to pay special attention to the foods you eat alongside them such as, white bread, butter, salt, and/or processed meats like bacon or sausages, which are not so good for our hearts.
So how many eggs can I eat?
- Based on the findings from the 'Eggs and the heart' evidence paper, the Heart Foundation's positionis that New Zealanders who areat increased risk of heart disease can eat up to six eggs per weekas part of aheart-healthy diet. This amount is unlikely to have any substantive influence on their risk of heart disease. View our full eggsposition statement.
- For the general healthy population, eggs can be included as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern.
- There are more important changes people should be focusing on, such as increasing vegetable intake, eating more whole and less- processed foods and reducing saturated fatintake, rather than restricting egg intake
Based on a thorough review of the existing research, the overall evidence for the effect of eggs on blood cholesterol has been deemed inconsistent.While the evidence is not clear enough to say there is no association between dietary cholesterol and heart disease, it is also not strong enough to continue previous recommendations which limited egg intake to three per week.
Eggs and cholesterol
Much of the confusion around eggs has stemmed from the fact that egg yolks contain cholesterol. While egg yolks are high in cholesterol and are a major source of dietary cholesterol,it is saturated fatty acids that have a greater effect on our blood cholesterol levels and, therefore, heart disease risk.
Still feeling confused about eggs and cholesterol?We've compiled somefrequently asked questions and given our responses.
Eggs and the heart Q&A
FAQs
One large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol — all of which is found in the yolk. If your diet contains little other cholesterol, according to some studies, eating up to an egg a day might be an OK choice. If you like eggs but don't want the cholesterol, use only the egg whites.
Do eggs raise cholesterol in 2024? ›
Eating a dozen eggs per week may not affect your cholesterol, study suggests. Written by Jessica Freeborn on April 2, 2024 — Fact checked by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph. D. Eggs have many nutrients, but recommendations for egg consumption have changed over the years.
Are eggs high in cholesterol and should be eaten in moderation? ›
But if you have high cholesterol, moderation is key.
But that doesn't mean you need to cut all eggs from your diet — the key is to eat them in moderation. “An average large egg contains about 186 mg of cholesterol, so if you have high cholesterol, limit yourself to less than three eggs per week,” she advises.
Does your body absorb cholesterol from eggs? ›
Dietary Cholesterol Contained in Whole Eggs Is Not Well Absorbed and Does Not Acutely Affect Plasma Total Cholesterol Concentration in Men and Women: Results from 2 Randomized Controlled Crossover Studies.
What are three best foods for lowering cholesterol? ›
Cholesterol-lowering foods
- Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods. Foods high in soluble fiber help reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. ...
- Fish and omega-3 fatty acids. ...
- Walnuts, almonds and other nuts. ...
- Olive oil. ...
- Foods with added plant sterols and stanols.
For most healthy adults, it's safe to eat 1–2 eggs a day depending on how much other cholesterol is in your diet. If you already have high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease, it may be best to eat no more than 4–5 eggs per week.
Is peanut butter bad for cholesterol? ›
Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
Are potatoes bad for cholesterol? ›
Potatoes are rich in soluble fibre, which can be consumed by high cholesterol patients without any confusion. Consuming potatoes not only maintains the cholesterol level, but the body also gets many health benefits.
Is coffee bad for cholesterol? ›
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
What is the latest research on eggs and cholesterol? ›
Eating 12 Eggs a Week Didn't Raise Cholesterol Levels, New Study Finds. People who ate 12 fortified eggs per week had similar cholesterol levels after four months as people who ate fewer than two eggs per week.
Simple swaps. There are plenty of swaps you can make to help improve your cholesterol. To eat more heart-healthy foods, try swapping from butter to olive oil, potato chips to plain nuts, white bread to whole grain bread or choosing reduced-fat dairy products instead of full-fat versions.
What should I eat if my cholesterol is high? ›
Cholesterol and healthy eating
- plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains.
- a variety of healthy protein-rich foods (especially fish and seafood), legumes (such as beans and lentils), nuts and seeds. ...
- unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. ...
- healthy fats and oils. ...
- herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.
If you are an athlete or go for regular weight training, workouts or cardio then you can have more than two eggs a day. Weight trainees are often recommended to eat more than 5 eggs everyday. Whether they consume it with the yolk or without it again depends on their body type.
Is it bad to eat eggs every day? ›
For example, eggs typically are eaten with other foods high in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol, such as bacon, cheese and butter. These foods are known to increase heart disease risk and should be eaten sparingly. Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health.
