Study Suggests Eggs Help Lower Cholesterol

the popular breakfast choice is an excellent source of protein and other nutrients.

A new study suggests eggs can help lower cholesterol. That runs counter to decades old advice to limit egg consumption because it can raise your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Breakfast Burger — Source: Trevor Srednick / Getty

But now, a paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition adds to the growing evidence that eggs are actually good for you. Researchers say while the popular breakfast food may be high in cholesterol, they’re low in saturated fat, which is believed to be the real driver of cholesterol elevation. The study suggests that eating eggs, as part of a low saturated fat diet, can boost your health.

Well, a new study adds its voice to the growing body of evidence that eggs are actually really good for you. It’s an examination of the discrete influences of saturated fat and cholesterol on levels of low-density lipoprotein (LPL), or ‘bad’, cholesterol in the body.

“Eggs have long been unfairly cracked by outdated dietary advice. They’re unique – high in cholesterol, yes, but low in saturated fat. Yet it’s their cholesterol level that has often caused people to question their place in a healthy diet,” says exercise scientist Jonathan Buckley of the University of South Australia.

The researchers recruited 61 adults with the same baseline levels of LDL cholesterol, and tasked them with undertaking three different diets, for five weeks each. A total of 48 participants completed all three diets.

The first was a high-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet that included two eggs per day. The second was a low-cholesterol, high-saturated fat with no eggs. Finally, the third was high in both cholesterol and saturated fat, and included one egg per week.

The results showed that diets high in saturated fat correlated with a rise in LDL cholesterol levels. However, the high-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet produced a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels – suggesting that eggs are not responsible for bad cholesterol.

Study Findings:The research found that consuming two eggs a day, as part of a high-cholesterol, low-saturated fat diet, can lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Rethinking Eggs:The study suggests it’s time to reconsider the long-held belief that eggs are harmful to cholesterol levels.
Further Research:While the study offers promising results, experts recommend further research is needed to confirm these findings, especially for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions or diabetes.
Fortified Eggs:Another study found that consuming 12 fortified eggs per week did not negatively impact cholesterol levels in participants compared to those who ate fewer eggs.