Are
Eggs Bad For You If You Have High Cholesterol?
Commonly eggs have been
considered for a long time more of a health risk than a healthy food. People have
been enjoying and nourishing themselves with eggs, since the domestication of
the chicken. Eggs are classified as "super-foods" However, eggs are
defamed due to the presence of high cholesterol levels in the yolks. People
believed that consumption of dietary cholesterol would raise cholesterol in the
blood and contribute to heart disease. Does eating eggs really affect your
blood cholesterol? Moreover, how many eggs should you eat? Let us clarify our doubts about cholesterol and eggs.
Are
you afraid of eating eggs? Don’t be! They are the perfect source of proteins,
which provide the essential nutrients needed by the brain and the body to
function properly. One of the simplest and most nutritious foods, eggs, is defamed due to
high cholesterol levels. However, eggs have got a bad reputation because
the yolks are high in cholesterol. People believed that if you ate cholesterol,
that it would raise cholesterol in the blood and contribute to heart disease.
Whole
eggs containing a little bit of almost every nutrient we need and are among the
most nutritious foods on the planet. The nutritive value of a whole egg can be
ascertained from the fact that it contains all the nutrients required to turn a
single cell into a baby chicken. Thus eggs are nearly the perfect diet, containing a little
bit of almost every nutrient of human need. A whole egg contains
11 vitamins and minerals along with high-quality protein and healthy fats like
omega-3s. Despite of all these nutrients, eggs are controversial because of
their cholesterol levels.
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| Nutritional Value of Egg |
UNDERSTANDING CHOLESTEROL
Cholesterol is a fat-soluble essential substance present in every cell of your body. It
plays a vital role in our body like
Ø Make
steroid hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol,
Ø Production
of vitamin D,
Ø Aiding
fat digestion and absorption of vitamins,
Ø Boosting
the immune system,
Ø Creating
cell membrane,
Ø Improving
brain function.
There are two major types of lipoproteins that carry cholesterol in our body –
1.
Low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) called as bad cholesterol, and
2.
High-density
lipoprotein (HDL) is good cholesterol.
Both of these lipoproteins carry
different fat molecules in the body. However, LDL particles can carry
cholesterol into artery walls, contribute to fatty plaque build-up in the arterial
wall, and increase the chance of heart disease or stroke. Healthy HDL particles
play the role of scavengers by removing this cholesterol build-up from arteries back to the
liver.
EGGS
AND CHOLESTEROL
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It is a matter of fact that eggs are high in cholesterol, but eating
eggs do not show significant adverse effects on blood cholesterol in the
majority of people. As per the U.S. Department
of Agriculture, a large size chicken egg contains about 186milligrams (mg) of
cholesterol, almost entirely in the yolk and this is more than half of
the recommended daily intake of 300 mg. However, it is important to know that,
cholesterol consumed through diet does not necessarily raise the cholesterol levels in the blood.
Every day our liver produces a large amount of cholesterol. When we eat more
eggs (dietary cholesterol), our biofeedback mechanism instructs the liver to
produces less cholesterol, so that it evens out. The level of cholesterol in
the blood with egg consumption varies from individual to individual. Consumption of eggs
does not raise cholesterol at all in 70% of people. However, eggs can mildly
raise Total and LDL cholesterol in the other 30% (termed "hyper
responders"). Research published in the Journal
Food Chemistry (2011) suggests regular egg consumption may
reduce the chance of cancer and cardiovascular disease due to the presence of high
levels of antioxidants in eggs.
Eggs Raise HDL (the "Good" Cholesterol):
Consistent, egg consumption leads to elevated levels of HDL. A study
found that the HDL levels in the blood increased by 10% by eating 2 eggs per
day for 6 weeks. Higher levels of "Good"
Cholesterol (HDL) lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and various
health problems. Eggs Turn Small, Dense LDL Cholesterol to Large
LDL:
There is no doubt that having high levels of LDL increases the risk of heart
disease by many folds. Based on the particles size, LDL cholesterol is of two
types: small,
dense LDL particles and large LDL particles. Research suggests that people who have
predominantly small, dense LDL particles have an increased risk of heart
disease than those who have mostly large LDL particles. Studies show a change the
pattern of LDL particles from small, dense LDL (bad) to Large LDL, in those
cases, where mildly raise in LDL cholesterol noticed with consumption of eggs.
HOW MANY EGGS IS IT SAFE TO EAT
PER DAY?
If you
are already have high cholesterol level, can you continue to eat your favorite egg
recipe?
The answer to
this question is Moderation. Patients with high cholesterol may opt to enjoy
eggs but in a controlled way. According to research (2012), published in the journal Current Opinion in Clinical
Nutrition and Metabolic Care individuals
who consume moderate amounts of eggs observed to have no elevation in
cholesterol levels when compared with a group of individuals who entirely cut eggs
out of their diets.
]
In healthy people - Eating 1
egg daily along with a healthy diet is not likely to have any significant impact
on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even eating up to 3 eggs a
day is considered to be safe for the majority of the population.
]
In diabetic people - If you
are diagnosed with diabetes, eating 2 or 3 eggs per day likely to increase the risk to develop heart disease. Diabetes
has a negative impact on heart disease; therefore avoid eating more than 1 egg
per day if you have high blood sugar.
TIPS
FOR COOKING EGGS
Eggs are cheap, easy to cook, go with almost
any food and taste awesome. The overall quality of diet is far
more important for your healthy heart health than counting the number of eggs
you eat each day. Focus
on what you eat along with the egg, instead of just linking eggs with the risk of
heart disease. For example, the sodium (salt) contains and if the oils
containing trans fats or saturated fats used for frying the eggs. Because it is
essential to keep a watchful, eye on what you eat with your eggs in addition to
paying attention to the egg themselves. The effect of eggs on your cholesterol level is minimal in
comparison to the effect that eating trans or saturated fats would have along on it. The saturated and trans fat we eat has an immense influence on our blood cholesterol levels.
When you want to eat fried your egg, never fry it in a heavy fat like
bacon grease, butter, or margarine, this raises the saturated fat level and makes
it unhealthy. Use healthy oils like olive oil, cooking spray, or even a tiny
bit of water during frying eggs. A hard boil egg is much safer as there is no
added cholesterol or fat. Moderation
is the key; do not start piling on the three-egg omelet.
If you are still concerned about
your cholesterol or are unsure, whether it is safe for you to consume eggs, consider
egg whites or egg-substitute products. Egg white is loaded with protein but without so much cholesterol.
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