Are Eggs Safe to Eat?

Eggs are the gold standard for protein quality. They are easy to digest and contain all essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Both the yolk and the white contain protein, but the yolk also contains B vitamins, calcium, iron, vitamins A, D, E, choline, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium. The entire egg is a nutrient powerhouse, but is the egg yolk safe to eat?

Egg yolks are high in cholesterol; about 212mg per yolk. Old recommendations were for healthy people to limit daily cholesterol intake to no more than 300mg a day or about 3 egg yolks per week...and only 200mg a day for people with high cholesterol and other health conditions. At the time researchers believed dietary cholesterol negatively impacted blood cholesterol levels and heart disease risk.

New research is showing different results. A new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition followed 128 overweight and obese people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes over three months. Participants consumed 12 eggs per week and findings showed no adverse effect on lipid profiles. What is important to note is the high egg diet included healthy unsaturated fats as well.

Unhealthy saturated fats and trans fats have a greater correlation with  raising LDL“bad cholesterol” and heart disease risk. We find saturated fats and trans fats in fried foods, hydrogenated oils, bacon, sausage, cheese, red meat, ice cream, whole milk, chips, and baked goods; many of which often accompany eggs at breakfast.

Not all eggs are created equal. Brown shelled eggs come from brown  chickens, and white shelled eggs come from white chickens. The color makes little difference, but the farming practices and diet of the chickens does. Chickens raised in cages are often fed a low quality diet of genetically engineered corn and soy-based feed, resulting in eggs with lower nutrient value. Organic eggs that are pasture-raised on a diet of insects, worms, seeds, and plants just the way nature had intended offer higher nutrient quality. Some research shows pasture-raised eggs have lower cholesterol, more vitamin A, more vitamin E, and a higher amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Could dietary cholesterol raise heart disease risk? It might; some studies show up to 30% of the population may be genetically predisposed and   react to dietary cholesterol intake resulting in a rise in LDL “bad cholesterol.” To be conservative it might be best to eat egg yolks in moderation, limit saturated fats, and target a well-balanced healthy diet most of the time.