Are eggs bad for cholesterol? New study reveals how many you can eat

After years of doctors warning patients to avoid eggs for fear of raising their cholesterol, more and more research is disproving that notion.

People who ate 12 fortified eggs per week had cholesterol levels similar to those who followed a non-egg diet, a study to be presented on Apr. 6 at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session has found.

The trial involved 140 people with heart disease or at high risk for it, who were randomly assigned to eat either a dozen or more eggs a week, or consume less than two.

When they were followed for four months, researchers didn’t see any adverse effects on cardiovascular health in the people who ate eggs every day and even noticed signals of potential benefits compared to the egg abstainers, says Dr. Nina Nouhravesh, lead author and a research fellow at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina.

“The consumption of 12 fortified eggs per week did not negatively impact their cholesterol,” Nouhravesh tells TODAY.com.

Insulin resistance improved in those who ate eggs every day, the study found. People over 65 in this group even saw their HDL “good” cholesterol rise and LDL “bad” cholesterol drop.

Researchers asked the participants to eat fortified eggs — which contain more omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and vitamins D, B and E, and less saturated fat than regular eggs — because they might offer a healthier profile, Nouhravesh notes.

That’s accomplished with the type of feed hens receive. Fortified eggs are widely available in supermarkets, but they’re more expensive than regular eggs, she adds.

The study hasn’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal yet. It was funded by Eggland’s Best, but that didn’t influence the results, Nouhravesh says.

Are eggs bad for your cholesterol?

All recent studies exonerate eggs, so this paper’s results are consistent with other research, says Dr. James O’Keefe, a member of the American College of Cardiology’s nutrition and lifestyle workgroup. He was not involved in the new study, which he called “very legitimate.”

“Eggs are not the villain. Eggs are a healthy source of protein and nutrients, and you can enjoy them in moderation,” O’Keefe, director of preventive cardiology at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, tells TODAY.com.

“In science, we’re proud to change our mind. These are interesting, powerful new studies. The old advice was wrong and we’re not embarrassed about it. It was based on inadequate information.”

An egg per day is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk, a 2020 review and meta-analysis found.

Eating eggs was actually associated with lower risk of having a heart attack, a 2019 study reported.

An important consideration might be what you’re eating with your eggs, like bacon or sausage, which are among the top foods cardiologists avoid.

Is it OK to eat eggs every day?

Eggs contain eight essential nutrients, protein, healthy fats and antioxidants, and are one of the only natural food sources of vitamin D, says registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY.

They’re also a good source of choline, which is important for liver, brain and muscle function, plus metabolism and cell membrane composition.

The protein in eggs helps people feel full and can prevent them from eating too many “junky carbs” like added sugars and refined carbohydrates in fast food and sweetened drinks, O’Keefe says. If you have an omelet, you might not reach for a doughnut in the morning.

Eating more protein is also important as people lose muscle mass with aging — and eggs are an inexpensive, practical way to increase protein in the diet, he adds.

O’Keefe calls having two eggs a day, six days a week a reasonable amount. He makes it a point to look for omega-3 fortified eggs because he says it’s turning out to be an important nutrient for cardiovascular health.

“I personally love eggs and I probably eat at least 14 eggs a week, but I throw at least half the yolks out because that’s where all the cholesterol is,” he notes.

“If you have diabetes or heart disease, I would keep it to five yolks a week, but you can have really all the egg whites you want. They are completely neutral.”

The new study encouraged patients to eat the whole egg, so eating both the yolks and the whites didn’t have a negative impact on cholesterol in people who ate 12 fortified eggs a week, Nouhravesh says.

People with heart disease should talk with their cardiologist or a primary care physician about their diet, she adds.

Bottom line:

Very high amounts of cholesterol in the diet do raise blood cholesterol a little bit, so it makes sense to pay attention to it, especially for people who have risk factors for heart disease, O’Keefe says.

But the most important factor is to avoid processed junk food and added sugar because they distort hormones and trigger cravings, leading to unhealthy eating, he adds.

“Do not be afraid of eggs. They are a natural clean source of high-quality protein and they’re also rich in many essential nutrients. It’s perfectly fine to eat two eggs a day, 12 eggs a week,” O’Keefe notes.

“If that makes you guilty because you’re worried about the cholesterol, throw every other yolk away like I do.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com