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February 10, 2012
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Nutrition Article
EGGS AND CHOLESTEROL
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In NUTRITION, baby boomers receive healthy eating tips from health reporters and dietitians, many of whom are boomers, too.  Judy Swancutt Registered Dietitian |
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(50PlusPrime) SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN --
Breakfast food, eggs, bacon, and toast, was at one time considered the healthiest way to start the day. Then came the cholesterol scare and egg consumption in the United States dropped at least 25%. The American Heart Association (AHA) issued its warning that too much dietary cholesterol contributed to heart disease.But now the egg may be getting a second chance, as it may not be a total dietary villain. Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in April of 1999 found that up to 1 egg per day did not seem to elevate cholesterol in healthy men and women. Additional research is being done to verify this. So, what are the facts here?
Eggs are a good source of high quality, easily digestible protein. They are relatively cheap and contain significant sources of the B vitamins: riboflavin, folate, and B12. They are also high in Vitamin D, E and iron. The egg is actually one of the only naturally occurring nutritional sources of vitamin D. There is evidence that eggs contain compounds such as lutein that may help decrease age related macular degeneration and improve long term memory. Lutein has also been associated with decreasing the incidence of cataracts and glaucoma. They are fairly low in calories and moderate in fat.
What about the cholesterol? One egg provides approximately 213 mg. of dietary cholesterol. The AHA recommends that Americans eat no more than 300 mg. per day and no more than 200 mg if you already have heart disease. This really has limited the egg business. Since all animal products have some cholesterol, a meat eater consuming one egg would probably exceed this recommendation and most people don’t just eat one egg. (There is no cholesterol in plant foods.)
Research is giving evidence that dietary cholesterol plays less of a roll in raising blood cholesterol in non-diabetics than was previously thought. There are various theories being investigated as to why this may be so, but it appears that saturated fat is by far greater heart menace then dietary cholesterol. Excess saturated fat increases the liver’s production of cholesterol resulting in artery deposits known as arteriosclerosis.
The AHA most recent recommendation is that people limit eggs to 3 or 4 per week. However some creative ways of including this food while remaining within the AHA guidelines include:
- 2 eggs on one day and none on the next four days, without bacon or butter.
- One whole egg with two egg whites for an omelet full of onions and peppers. (We do know these vegetables are heart healthy)(Cheese has saturated fat.)
- Use more egg whites in various baked goods (Egg substitutes are made from egg whites, vegetable oil and food coloring—make your own)
- Hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs as well as poached eggs do not use additional fat.
- Limit the meat and include the egg.
Many will still choose to err on the side of caution by eliminating whole egg consumption. This might be wise for those with diabetes and those who have high serum cholesterol until more research is completed.
