Over the years, the guidance on eating eggs has been wildly inconsistent. Some studies have suggested that this popular breakfast choice is detrimental to one's health, while others have praised it as an excellent source of protein and essential nutrients. A new study adds important insights to the growing body of evidence that eggs are actually beneficial for your health.
The recent research focuses on the discrete influences of saturated fat and cholesterol on levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), commonly referred to as 'bad' cholesterol, in the body. Eggs have long been unfairly criticized due to outdated dietary advice. They are unique in that they are high in cholesterol but low in saturated fat. According to exercise scientist Jonathan Buckley from the University of South Australia, it is their cholesterol content that has often led to confusion about their role in a healthy diet.
In this study, researchers separated the effects of cholesterol and saturated fat. They discovered that consuming high dietary cholesterol from eggs, particularly when part of a low saturated fat diet, does not elevate bad cholesterol levels. Instead, it was found that saturated fat was the real contributor to rising cholesterol levels.
The researchers recruited 61 adults who had similar baseline levels of LDL cholesterol and asked them to follow three different diets for five weeks each. Out of the initial participants, 48 completed all three dietary regimens. The first diet was a high-cholesterol, low-saturated fat plan that included two eggs per day. The second diet was low in cholesterol but high in saturated fat, containing no eggs at all. Finally, the third diet was high in both cholesterol and saturated fat, allowing for just one egg per week.
The results of the study revealed that diets high in saturated fat corresponded with an increase in LDL cholesterol levels. In contrast, the high-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet resulted in a reduction of LDL cholesterol levels. This suggests that eggs are not responsible for raising bad cholesterol levels. Buckley states, “You could say we've delivered hard-boiled evidence in defense of the humble egg.”
When it comes to enjoying a cooked breakfast, it appears that it is not the eggs you need to be concerned about. Instead, it’s the additional servings of bacon or the side of sausage that are more likely to impact your heart health negatively. This study reinforces the idea that eggs can be part of a healthy diet, contradicting previous misconceptions about their health implications.
