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http://www.fuelforlife.ca/modules/sections/index.php?op=viewarticle&artid=50
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When it comes to heart health, eggs have always had a bit of a questionable
reputation. For decades the preaching's of a large contingent of health
professionals led many to assume that there was a direct correlation
between cholesterol in the diet and cholesterol in the human body. And
since whole eggs contained a significant amount of cholesterol they were
branded Public Enemy Number One by most cardiologists. Concerns with
cholesterol and fears of salmonella contamination led to a significant drop
in egg consumption during the 70's and 80's.
As proven numerous times in research, there is a strong link between high
blood cholesterol blood levels and a high risk of heart disease. However,
recent advances in research have questioned whether cholesterol in the diet
has any significant effect on blood cholesterol levels. Generally the body
compensates for higher amounts of dietary cholesterol by synthesizing
smaller amounts in the liver, by excreting more or by absorbing less from
food. Think of it as a self-regulating mechanism - the more you eat the
less the body produces or absorbs. Therefore, one could assume that whole
egg consumption and its cholesterol would not have a significant impact on
blood cholesterol levels.
Eggs also contain a substance called lecithin that may help limit the
absorption of cholesterol from the egg into the bloodstream. And, although
egg yolks contain a lot of cholesterol, evidence points to saturated fats
(animal fats) and trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) as the biggest
culprits when it comes to increasing blood cholesterol levels. An egg yolk
contains one-sixth the amount of saturated fat found in the equivalent
weight of full-fat cheese. This leaves us to ponder: Do we really need to
suffer through any more tasteless egg white omelettes?
Definitely not, if you look at the results of a study published in the
Journal of the American Medical Association from the Harvard School of
Public Health that found no relationship between egg consumption and heart
disease in a population of over 177,000 men and women who were followed for
8 and 14 years, respectively. There was no difference in heart disease risk
(with the exception of diabetics) between those who consumed less than one
egg a week and those who ate one or more eggs a day.
In addition, Japan, Spain and France are known to be three of the highest
egg-consuming countries and yet have some of the lowest rates of heart
disease of all the industrialized nations. When other factors in the diet
are taken into consideration there appears to be no correlation between an
egg a day and increased risk of coronary heart disease in the healthy
population.
A review of 166 cholesterol-feeding studies conducted over 40 years on
3,500 subjects showed that for every 100 mg decrease in dietary
cholesterol, total plasma cholesterol dropped by only 1%. The study also
noted that the high levels of dietary cholesterol used in many studies far
exceed the approximately 250 mg/day consumed by the average person.
Additionally, the diets in many of the earlier studies on cholesterol and
heart disease were not only high in cholesterol but were also high in fat,
saturated fat and animal products, and low in fruits, vegetables and whole
grains, dietary factors known to influence circulating cholesterol levels
and heart disease risk.
A study looking at the impact of egg consumption on endothelial function, a
reliable index of cardiovascular risk found that eating 2 eggs per day for
6 weeks had no detrimental impact on cholesterol levels or endothelial
functioning in healthy males.
When eggs have been shown to raise LDL ('bad'😉 cholesterol levels the type
of LDL that they increase tend not to be the most harmful (atherogenic)
types (small dense fractions).
Egg Consumption Guidelines
It now appears that individuals with normal cholesterol levels can enjoy a
yolk or two a day without any concern. To be on the safe side, those with
high cholesterol and/or diabetes should limit egg yolk consumption to 3-4
yolks per week, which includes yolks in baking and casseroles.
There is also a segment of the population, about 15-25%, that should limit
their cholesterol consumption as they are hyperresponders. These
individuals are "sensitive" to dietary cholesterol because it affects the
amount of cholesterol in their blood. Those who fall into this category
usually include those with both high cholesterol and high triglyceride
levels. These individuals should focus more on egg whites than egg yolks.
These individuals should be aware of other sources of dietary cholesterol
including red meat (160mg in 6oz of pork tenderloin), chicken (140mg in 6oz
of chicken breast) and shellfish (3oz of shrimp has about 165mg of
cholesterol). Plant derived foods (e.g. fruits, nuts, seeds, grains,
vegetables) are devoid of any cholesterol.
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