AN EGG A DAY KEEPS HEART DISEASES & TYPE 2 DIABETIES AWAY !
Compiled & Edited by-DR. RAJESH KUMAR SINGH, (LIVESTOCK & POULTRY CONSULTANT), JAMSHEDPUR, JHARKHAND,INDIA 9431309542, rajeshsinghvet@gmail.com
Chicken eggs are high in cholesterol, but the effect of egg consumption on blood cholesterol is minimal when compared with the effect of trans fats and saturated fats.Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.In fact, a whole egg contains all the nutrients needed to turn a single cell into an entire chicken.
However, eggs have gotten a bad reputation because the yolks are high in cholesterol.
But cholesterol isn’t that simple. The more of it you eat, the less your body produces.
For this reason, eating a few eggs won’t cause a high rise in cholesterol levels.
A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition turns the tables on eggs’ reputation. It shows that egg consumption and dietary cholesterol are not connected with a heightened risk of heart disease, even when a person is genetically predisposed to the condition.
A new study conducted in China finds that eating an egg a day may lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The study found that daily egg eaters had an 18 per cent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Earlier doctors would warn patients against eating too many eggs, believing that despite containing high-quality protein and other positive nutritional components, they also have high amounts of cholesterol, which was thought might be harmful. How Your Body Regulates Cholesterol Levels------
Cholesterol is often viewed as negative.
This is because some studies have linked high levels of cholesterol with heart disease and early death. However, the evidence is mixed .
The truth is that cholesterol plays a very important function in your body. It’s a structural molecule that is essential to every cell membrane.
It is also used to make steroid hormones like testosterone, estrogen and cortisol.
Given how important cholesterol is, your body has evolved elaborate ways to ensure that it always has enough available.
Because getting cholesterol from the diet isn’t always an option, your liver produces enough to meet your body’s needs.
But when you eat a lot of cholesterol-rich foods, your liver starts producing less to keep cholesterol levels from becoming excessively high .
Therefore, the total amount of cholesterol in your body changes only very little, if at all. What changes is its source — your diet or your liver .
Nevertheless, you should still avoid eating excessive amounts of cholesterol if your blood levels are raised. A high intake may cause a moderate increase in blood cholesterol levels .
What Happens When People Eat Several Whole Eggs per Day?——
For many decades, people have been advised to limit their consumption of eggs — or at least of egg yolks.
A single medium-sized egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol, which is 62% of the recommended daily intake (RDI). In contrast, the white is mostly protein and low in cholesterol .
Common recommendations include a maximum of 2–6 yolks per week. However, scientific support for this limitation is lacking .
A few studies have examined the effects of eggs on cholesterol levels.
These studies divided people into two groups — one group ate 1–3 whole eggs per day while the other ate something else, such as egg substitutes.
These studies show that:
- In almost all cases, “good” HDL cholesterol goes up .
- Total and “bad” LDL cholesterol levels usually remain unchanged but sometimes increase slightly .
- Eating omega-3-enriched eggs can lower bloodtriglycerides, another important risk factor .
- Blood levels of carotenoid antioxidants likelutein and zeaxanthinincrease significantly .
It appears that the response to eating whole eggs depends on the individual.
In 70% of people, eggs had no effect on total or “bad” LDL cholesterol. However, in 30% of people — called hyper-responders — these markers do go up slightly .
Although eating a few eggs per day may raise blood cholesterol in some people, they change the “bad” LDL particles from small and dense to large .
People who have predominantly large LDL particles have a lower risk of heart disease. So even if eggs cause mild increases in total and LDL cholesterol levels, it’s not a cause for concern .
The science is clear that up to 3 whole eggs per day are perfectly safe for healthy people.
Eggs and Heart Disease——–
Multiple studies have examined egg consumption and heart disease risk.
Many of these are observational studies in which large groups of people are followed for many years.
Researchers then use statistical methods to determine whether certain habits — like diet, smoking or exercise — are linked to either a decreased or increased risk of certain diseases.
These studies — some of which include hundreds of thousands of people — consistently show that people who eat whole eggs are no more likely to develop heart disease than those who don’t.
Some of the studies even show a reduced risk of stroke .
However, this research suggests that people who have type 2 diabetes and eat a lot of eggs have an increased risk of heart disease .
One controlled study in people with type 2 diabetes found that eating two eggs per day, six days a week, for three months did not significantly affect blood lipid levels .
Health effects may also depend on the rest of your diet. On a low-carb diet — which is the best diet for people with diabetes — eggs lead to improvements in heart disease risk factors .
People With Diabetes Can Eat Eggs———-
Many people with diabetes are concerned about eating eggs because they believe they are too high in cholesterol. It was once believed that eating dietary cholesterol could increase cholesterol in the blood, but this logic is no longer thought to be true. In fact, studies have shown that dietary cholesterol, like the cholesterol found in eggs, is not linked to high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Eggs Have Several Other Health Benefits———
Let’s not forget that eggs are about more than just cholesterol. They’re also loaded with nutrients and offer various other impressive benefits:
- They’re high in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that reduce your risk of eye diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts .
- They’re very high in choline, a nutrient that plays an essential role in all cells .
- They’re high in quality animal protein, the benefits of which include increased muscle mass and better bone health .
- Studies show that eggs increase feelings of fullness and help you lose weight .
What’s more, eggs are tasty and incredibly easy to prepare.
The benefits of consuming eggs far outweigh the potential negatives.
How Much Is Too Much?——–
Unfortunately, no studies have fed people more than three eggs per day.
It is possible, though unlikely, that eating more than that could negatively impact your health. Consuming more than three is uncharted territory, scientifically speaking.
However, one case study included an 88-year-old man who consumed 25 eggs per day. He had normal cholesterol levels and was in very good health .
Of course, the way one individual responds to extreme egg consumption can’t be extrapolated to the whole population, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
It’s also important to keep in mind that not all eggs are the same. Most eggs at the supermarket come from factory-raised chickens fed grain-based feeds.
The healthiest eggs are omega-3-enriched eggs or eggs from hens that are raised on pasture. These eggs are much higher in omega-3s and important fat-soluble vitamins .
Overall, eating eggs is perfectly safe, even if you’re eating up to 3 whole eggs per day.
Given their range of nutrients and powerful health benefits, quality eggs may be among the healthiest foods on the planet.
Guidelines do not limit cholesterol or eggs———-
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the “leading cause of death” in the U.S.
For decades there has been a debate about whether consumption of eggs or dietary cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease and early death.
The official recommendation in the U.S. before 2015 was that people should limit their daily egg consumption to no more than 300 milligrams (mg), which is less than two large eggs.
The more recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015–2020, however, no longer provide limits on dietary cholesterol and egg intake. They include weekly intake of eggs as part of a healthful diet.
Reference-On Request
