To eat or not to eat eggs is the question?
Since the 1970’s many American’s have steered away from egg consumption due to the high cholesterol content. In the 1970’s the American Heart Association (AHA) first released guidelines to limit dietary cholesterol to 300 mg per day. Thus the avoidance of eggs stemmed from this restriction as the average cholesterol in chicken eggs is 200 mg per serving.
Since the 1970’s numerous studies have evaluated the relationship of cholesterol and saturated fat with coronary heart disease. A recent review published in the British Journal of Medicine concluded there was no increased risk for coronary heart disease or stroke with the consumption of up to one egg per day. The 2013 AHA recommendations state “there is insufficient evidence to determine whether lowering dietary cholesterol reduces LDL–C (cholesterol).”
In my practice I currently recommend to try and limit your intake of egg yolks to one per day, however if you are an egg lover a slightly greater intake will likely not be harmful. Eggs are just any other food and should be part of a balanced diet and consumed in moderation. Remember to evaluate all the fat intake and total calories in your diet – as part of a balanced diet you should reduce animal products like meat and dairy, avoid fried foods and foods with heavy sauces. Most of all remember that eggs are a high quality form of protein and provide many essential nutrients.
For those egg lovers who fear consuming more than one egg per day I have created a delicious scrambled egg recipe to enjoy. My secret is to scramble one whole egg with several egg whites. Not only does this trick reduce the cholesterol, but you will also save about 150 calories (my actual reasoning for doing this). My family and I enjoy this recipe for breakfast nearly every Saturday and Sunday!
Your family’s dietitian,
Kristen Smith
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg whites
- non-stick spray
- salt and pepper to taste
Nutrition: