Busting the Myth - Eggs and Cholesterol – What You Need to Know

Eggs raise cholesterol levels – a widespread myth that causes uncertainty for many. But what is really true about this claim? Getty Images/Daniel Day

Do eggs raise blood cholesterol levels?

“Health apostles” concerned about public health often sternly warn against the second or perhaps the first breakfast egg because, they claim, eggs contain a lot of cholesterol. This is then associated with the danger that egg consumption raises cholesterol levels to an unhealthy extent.

But this is and remains a myth. “This concern is unfounded. Because the cholesterol content of a single food has little effect on blood cholesterol levels. Essentially, cholesterol metabolism is genetically determined, inherited from the family,” as was confirmed in April 2024 by cardiovascular physician Prof. Dr. Ulrich Laufs from the Scientific Advisory Board of the German Heart Foundation.

So, no one needs to be afraid of eggs, even though the DGE recently recommended only one egg per week?

Correct – there is no scientific proof that eating eggs causes or promotes diseases. Also, how eggs specifically affect cholesterol levels cannot be scientifically answered. What is certain is that the cholesterol level in the blood is primarily regulated by the liver and not by the intestine and diet. Only one third of cholesterol is absorbed by the body through food. Two thirds of blood fat is produced by the liver itself. This is also why there is no scientifically proven, health-threatening “egg limit”. In general, the new recommendations by the DGE are nothing more than mathematical games with no practical relevance. No healthy person needs dietary rules.

And what about other cholesterol-containing foods?

They have long been considered unproblematic, even if cholesterol itself can increase the risk of calcified arteries and thus of stroke or heart attack if it accumulates in larger amounts in the blood. As such, the myth that eggs and co. are “bad for the heart” persisted for a long time, yet as early as 2015, American scientists made an about-turn in their recommendations – they no longer rate cholesterol from foods as a health risk.

As a result, official U.S. dietary advice no longer warns against foods and meals with high cholesterol content – simply because there is “no significant correlation between cholesterol in foods and blood cholesterol levels.” This is also how German heart researchers see it, so essentially the issue has been settled for almost ten years.

So do eggs also fit into a healthy diet?

Definitely. But only if you really like eggs and tolerate them well. Generally speaking, the healthiest diet is always absolutely individual and completely independent of specific foods. After all, nobody needs eggs. It is much more important to listen to your own body, to know and respect hunger and satiety and above all individual tolerance.

The best recommendation, tailored to your individual needs, is the most natural form of diet there is: intuitive eating. There are no prohibitions, sacrifices, or other “rules” about what you are allowed and should do. With intuitive eating, everyone is their own nutrition coach – and that’s the best way. The basic creed is: there are as many healthy diets as there are people, because every person is different and eats differently. It’s also good to know that there is no proof for any of the holier-than-thou eating hype that currently being touted, such as low-carb, vegan, or paleo as the “best diet in the world”.

About the expert Uwe Knop

Uwe Knop, born 1972, is a nutrition scientist, book author, and lecturer for to professional associations, companies, and medical education. His book “Successfully lose weight and stay slim” was published by Springer-Verlag.