By Dayne Hudson
Myths are EVERYWHERE, especially those pertaining to diet.
And when the wrong information gets in the wrong hands, we finish up paying for it for years to come.
And poor old eggs, specifically the yolk, have copped a hammering over the years for no solid reasons at all.
WHY EGGS ARE SAFE TO STAY IN YOUR DIET
A recent meta-analysis found that providing you don't have any pre-existing health conditions; eggs aren't going to be an issue (1).
To quote from the researchers:
"Egg consumption is not associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease and cardiac mortality in the general population. However, egg consumption may be associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes among the general population and cardiovascular disease comorbidity among diabetic patients."
So it's simple - if you have diabetes, then egg consumption should be limited.
But eggs will not cause heart disease in the general population - this much is a myth.
It spawns from observational studies that merely make a guess and don't look at cause and effect.
HOW MANY EGGS CAN I EAT PER DAY?
People get confused here because of the plethora of misinformation floating around.
Because a single egg contains just over 180 mg of cholesterol which is just over 60% of our recommended daily intake, people jump up and down and start panicking.
But there's no need.
More cholesterol does NOT mean more cholesterol in the blood and translate into heart disease.
WHY CHOLESTEROL IS SAFE AND HEALTHY
Cholesterol is a vital for our survival, and an important part of every one of our cell membranes.
It is used to create testosterone, estrogen and cortisol (2).
When we don't eat enough cholesterol our liver will produce it. But when we do eat it - the liver will produce less (3).
So the total amount never really changes - the human body has us covered here!
Furthermore, multiple studies show an increase in HDL cholesterol (our GOOD cholesterol) after eating 1-3 eggs daily (4,5) while the bad cholesterol LDL, remains unchanged.
This is the case for 70% of people; there's no effect on total of LDL cholesterol.
However 30% of people will experience an increase, but not to the point of it posing a problem (6).
To quote the authors:
"We need to acknowledge that diverse healthy populations experience no risk in developing coronary heart disease by increasing their intake of cholesterol but, in contrast, they may have multiple beneficial effects by the inclusion of eggs in their regular diet."
Obviously your doctor will advise you of the best advice if you have any pre-existing conditions, but generally speaking 1-3 eggs daily won't pose a problem to the general population.
So it seems science has us covered to the point of 3 eggs at least, although miraculously, one study examined a 88-year-old man who consumed 25 eggs a day (7).
He had consumed this amount for 15 years, whilst one of his friends had suggested a little longer (7).
And guess what?
The man's cholesterol levels were normal.
Now, this is of course one study and I'm in no way suggesting the same results will be seen for the general population (even though it could possibly be?).
However, the research must be taken on board regardless; if eggs were so bad this man wouldn't have stood a chance!
THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGGS
Eggs have been a notable "fitness food" for sometime, especially favourable to bodybuilders and those looking to gain muscle.
And it's no accident - they're packed full of protein and are quite low in calories, whilst containing Vitamin A, Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, Iron, Vitamin B-6 and Magnesium.
They also contain a high amount of two particular antioxidants called Lutein and Zeaxanthine; favourable in reducing macular degeneration and cataracts (8,9).
EGGS: A FINAL WORD
So the take home message is clear: eggs are packed full of muscle building protein and health benefits and are only a problem if you have a pre-existing health condition.
So get stuck into your eggs.....and don't fall victim to the rubbish surrounding these little nutritious wonders!
"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"
REFERENCES
(1) Shin JY, Xun P, Nakamura Y, He K. Egg consumption in relation to risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jul;98(1):146-59. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.051318. Epub 2013 May 15.
(2) Freedman DS, O'Brien TR, Flanders WD, DeStefano F, Barboriak JJ. Relation of serum testosterone levels to high density lipoprotein cholesterol and other characteristics in men. Arterioscler Thromb. 1991 Mar-Apr;11(2):307-15.
(3) Jones PHJ et al. Dietary Cholesterol Feeding Suppresses Human Cholesterol Synthesis Measured by Deuterium Incorporation and Urinary Mevalonic Acid Levels. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.1996; 16: 1222-1228.
(4) Blesso CN, Anderson CJ, Barona J, Volek JS, Fernandez ML. Whole egg consumption improves lipoprotein profiles and insulin sensitivity to a greater extent than yolk-free egg substitute in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Metabolism. 2013 Mar;62(3):400-10. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2012.08.014. Epub 2012 Sep 27.
(5) Schnohr P, Thomsen OO, Riis Hansen P, Boberg-Ans G, Lawaetz H, Weeke T. Egg consumption and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol. J Intern Med. 1994 Mar;235(3):249-51.
(6) Fernandez ML. Dietary cholesterol provided by eggs and plasma lipoproteins in healthy populations. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2006 Jan;9(1):8-12.
(7) Kern F Jr. Normal plasma cholesterol in an 88-year-old man who eats 25 eggs a day. Mechanisms of adaptation. N Eng J Med. 1991 Mar 28;324(13):896-9.
(8) Delcourt C et al. Plasma Lutein and Zeaxanthin and Other Carotenoids as Modifiable Risk Factors for Age-Related Maculopathy and Cataract: The POLA Study. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. June 2006 vol. 47 no. 6 2329-2335.
(9) Gale CR et al. Lutein and Zeaxanthin Status and Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. June 2003 vol. 44 no. 6 2461-2465.
