Cholesterol and eggs: myths and truths

Eggs and cholesterol have long been surrounded by various myths and legends. Many people talk about this today. Both ordinary people and experts talk about the benefits and harms of eggs. We are talking about both chicken and quail eggs. Opinions are divided: some argue that eggs are healthy, while others say that they are harmful, and in the case of high cholesterol, they should not be eaten under any circumstances. Some say that eggs can be consumed in unlimited quantities, and they will not have any effect on cholesterol levels. Others are convinced that you will have to give up eggs completely.

First, it is important to determine what kind of eggs we are talking about. It is important to understand that each type of egg has its own characteristics. Let's consider chicken eggs, since they are most often consumed in modern society. It is also important to understand that eggs can contain different types of cholesterol. Also, not all parts of it contain this substance. And of course, it is important to understand exactly what amount is contained.

So, regular chicken eggs contain cholesterol. But it is found exclusively in the yolk. The protein does not contain this substance. Therefore, it is not difficult to conclude that a person can safely eat chicken proteins, in almost unlimited quantities, excluding the yolk.

The size of the egg itself is also important: the larger it is, the more substance it contains. The smaller the egg, the less cholesterol it contains. Average figures are 200-300 mg per 100 grams of product. This is a fairly high figure, especially for a person with metabolic disorders. It should be taken into account that as a conditional norm, a person should consume no more than 200 mg of the product. Accordingly, if a person eats one egg per day, he gets the required amount of cholesterol, and sometimes even more. However, as practice shows, people rarely eat 1 egg. Usually, a person eats at least 2-3 eggs per meal. And if you take into account that almost all confectionery products contain eggs (one cake can contain up to 10 eggs). Salads, many baked goods, various dishes include eggs. Therefore, you need to count not only pure eggs, but also all the products that contain them.

Eggs are nutritious - they are a source of: protein, vitamin D, A, B2, B12, folate, iodine. [ 1 ]

You also need to pay attention to the form in which eggs are consumed. Raw eggs are considered the most dangerous, as they contain quite dangerous cholesterol, which is almost completely absorbed by the body. But boiled eggs will be less dangerous, as their cholesterol is partially neutralized. Accordingly, partially destroyed cholesterol accumulates in the body, causing a negative effect on the body.

There are many examples that can help you visually assess how true all the stories about eggs are.

Patient B. says that he has been eating raw eggs on an empty stomach every morning since childhood. His mother taught him to do so: it is a preventative measure against colds and stomach diseases. But over time, the patient was diagnosed with high cholesterol. The doctor recommended a special diet. The patient reduced the amount of fried, smoked, and fatty foods, and almost completely eliminated sauces, additives, and mayonnaise. The patient completely revised his diet, his daily routine, and began to actively engage in sports. But he continued to eat raw eggs in the morning. Doctors regularly monitored his cholesterol level. When all recommendations were followed, the level dropped sharply. It reached normal levels. It can be concluded that it is not the eggs, but the daily routine and diet in general that negatively affect cholesterol levels.

Patient H. says that he eats eggs despite the fact that high cholesterol was detected during the next examination. The patient loves eggs and eats them quite often. Moreover, he does this in almost any form: fried, boiled, and even raw. The patient also does not mind eating cakes. After high cholesterol was detected, he had to reconsider his diet. The doctor suggested one trick regarding eggs: you can eat them. But you need to exclude the yolk from the diet, which is a source of cholesterol. The protein can be safely consumed further.

Doctors say that you should never completely exclude eggs from your diet. It is important to consider that in addition to cholesterol, eggs also contain other substances, such as vitamins, proteins, and essential amino acids, which must be supplied to the human body. If you take into account that eggs are included in various culinary dishes and masterpieces, then the conclusion suggests itself that it is almost impossible to do this. However, doctors say that you should eat them with caution, especially if you have high cholesterol or are at risk of developing it. So, you need to review your diet: you need to exclude the yolk completely, or eat no more than one per day. You should also definitely look at the composition of the dishes and products that you eat. If the composition includes eggs, then you need to reduce the amount of yolk. If we are talking about protein, you can eat it in any quantity, practically without limiting yourself.

How many chicken eggs can you eat per week?

If we assume that the daily requirement for cholesterol is 200 mg, and one egg contains 200-300 mg, depending on the size. It should be taken into account that cholesterol is contained in the yolk, and it is not at all in the protein. Accordingly, you can eat no more than one egg per day. This is taking into account that eggs are not included in other dishes and products. It is not difficult to make basic calculations and answer the question: "How many chicken eggs can you eat per week?" You can eat no more than 7 eggs per week. The secret is that we are talking exclusively about yolks. You can not limit yourself in the consumption of proteins.

Eggs and cholesterol have long been surrounded by various myths and legends. Many people talk about this today. Both ordinary people and experts talk about the benefits and harms of eggs. We are talking about both chicken and quail eggs. Opinions are divided: some say that eggs are useful, while others say that they are harmful, and in the case of high cholesterol, they should not be eaten under any circumstances. Some say that eggs can be consumed in unlimited quantities, and they will not have any effect on Patient X's cholesterol level, you will have to give up eggs completely.

Modern scientific research somewhat changes traditional views on cholesterol in eggs. Moreover, there are options for its use with high cholesterol. The first and simplest option is to eat no more than one egg yolk, excluding the white. The second option is to boil the eggs and eat them in this form. In this case, cholesterol is partially destroyed and not fully absorbed. The cholesterol content is sharply reduced, and it has a less traumatic effect on the body.

It is necessary to eat eggs, strictly controlling the cholesterol content. Average indicators are 200-300 mg per 100 grams of product. As a conditional norm, a person should consume no more than 200 mg of the product per day.

Modern research indicates that it is necessary to pay attention to the form in which eggs are consumed. Raw eggs are considered the most dangerous. Accordingly, partially destroyed cholesterol accumulates in the body, causing a negative effect on the body.

A number of studies indicate that you should never completely exclude eggs from your diet. However, you should eat them with caution, especially if you have high cholesterol or are at risk of developing it. If we assume that the daily requirement for cholesterol is 200 mg, and one egg contains 200-300 mg, depending on the size.

Do eggs increase cholesterol?

Perhaps one of the main questions that doctors often hear is: “Do eggs increase cholesterol?” Let’s figure it out. So, with excessive consumption, eggs can increase cholesterol levels. This is understandable due to the fact that eggs contain cholesterol. You don’t need special knowledge to draw the appropriate conclusion: excessive consumption will certainly increase cholesterol levels. Thus, one egg contains 200-300 mg of the substance in question. Patients at risk of cardiovascular disease should limit their cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg / day (both in the NCEP Step 2 diet and in the recommendations of the American Heart Association). [ 2 ]

This fully covers a person's daily cholesterol requirement. Accordingly, if you eat more eggs, your cholesterol level will increase. It is worth noting that we are talking exclusively about the yolks, since the white does not contain cholesterol.

Egg consumption has been shown to promote the formation of large LDLs, in addition to shifting individuals from an LDL pattern B to an A pattern, which is less atherogenic. Eggs are also good sources of antioxidants.[ 3 ],[ 4 ]

Egg yolk consumption induces inflammation, characterized by increased levels of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A, but this effect is more pronounced in lean individuals without insulin resistance.[ 5 ]

Egg-eating advocates repeatedly point out that two large epidemiological studies [ 6 ], [ 7 ] showed no harm from eating eggs in healthy people. However, they fail to mention that both of these studies showed that in participants who became diabetic during follow-up, eating one egg per day significantly increased their cardiovascular risk compared with eating less than one per week. The first study, the Health Professionals Study, included doctors and nurses, and showed a doubling of cardiovascular disease in men who developed diabetes during the study. It also showed a significant increase in new-onset diabetes with regular egg consumption.

The second study also found a doubling of cardiovascular risk with regular egg consumption in participants who developed diabetes during the study, but not in people who remained healthy and free of diabetes.

In these two studies, the failure to show harm from eggs in healthy people is likely a problem of statistical power: a larger study with a longer follow-up period would be needed in healthy people; in patients with diabetes, whose risk of coronary heart disease is equivalent to that of coronary artery disease, statistical power was sufficient to show a harmful effect of egg yolks. A recent reanalysis of the smaller Physicians for Health study [ 8 ] showed no increase in cardiovascular disease, but did show that regular egg consumption doubled all-cause mortality. Two recent studies [ 9, [ 10 ] also found that egg consumption increased the incidence of diabetes, independent of other dietary factors.

Where is cholesterol in an egg?

The question is quite natural. In order to plan your diet, you need to clearly know where exactly cholesterol is in the egg? It is important to understand whether cholesterol is contained in the protein or in the yolk. It turns out that cholesterol is contained exclusively in yolks, respectively, it is not in the protein. Therefore, limiting the amount of protein is pointless. You only need to limit the yolk. It is also important to understand how much cholesterol is in an egg. This is important, since there are restrictions: you can consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol per day. One chicken yolk contains 200-300 mg of this substance, depending on the size. If you eat medium-sized eggs, you will have to limit yourself to one egg per day. You need to remember that we are talking about yolks.

Cholesterol in chicken eggs

It has long been known that chicken eggs contain cholesterol. Therefore, they should be consumed in limited quantities, especially with elevated cholesterol levels in human blood. However, few people take into account the fact that it is found exclusively in the yolk. Therefore, when they say that eggs should be limited, they mean that the egg yolk should be limited. There are no such restrictions regarding protein. Protein does not contain this substance. Quantitative indicators are also important: if a person eats one egg per day, he gets the required amount of cholesterol, and sometimes even more. Thus, a person can afford to eat no more than 1 egg per day. It is necessary not to forget that salads, many baked goods, and various dishes include eggs.

Moreover, it is necessary to understand that raw eggs are considered the most dangerous, since the cholesterol of raw egg yolk is almost completely absorbed by the body. Boiled eggs will be less dangerous. Almost all doctors say that it is absolutely impossible to completely exclude eggs from your diet.

Cholesterol in quail eggs

At first glance, it may seem that a quail egg is small in size, therefore it contains little cholesterol. But the size is wrong. In fact, quail eggs are more saturated and concentrated. The level of cholesterol in quail eggs significantly exceeds that in chicken eggs and reaches 850 mg. Considering that the level of daily consumed cholesterol should not exceed 200 mg, a person with problems with cholesterol levels cannot eat even 1 egg. Considering that cholesterol is contained exclusively in yolks, we can conclude that you can eat no more than a quarter of a quail egg per day. Proteins can be consumed in unlimited quantities.

If you have high cholesterol, you can eat quail eggs, but you should do so with extreme caution. You should eat only the whites. The yolk contains an incredibly large amount of cholesterol, 4-5 times greater than the daily human requirement. In addition, the cholesterol contained in quail eggs is poorly absorbed by the body, is extremely active and harmful. A person can eat no more than a quarter of the yolk. You can eat no more than one quail yolk per week.

Can you eat eggs if you have high cholesterol?

It all depends on how high the cholesterol level is. A doctor can answer the question of whether it is possible to eat eggs with high cholesterol. It should be based on the results of laboratory tests. Thus, the daily requirement is 200 mg per day. This is one chicken egg. Quail eggs are excluded, since the cholesterol level in them is excessively high and is 850 mg. Chicken eggs contain an average of 250 mg of cholesterol. Accordingly, a person with high cholesterol can eat no more than a quarter of a quail egg per day. As for a chicken egg, a person can eat no more than 1 chicken egg per day. If we take into account the fact that other products and dishes include eggs, and also if we take into account the low digestibility and initially high cholesterol levels in the blood, the recommendation that the daily dose should be halved becomes obvious. Thus, it is recommended to consume no more than 100 mg of eggs per day. This is half a chicken yolk. This figure is no more than 700 mg per week, respectively no more than 3-4 chicken eggs per week (yolks). This restriction does not apply to proteins. They can be eaten in any quantities.

Thus, eggs and cholesterol are concepts that go hand in hand. If you have high cholesterol, you need to strictly control the amount of eggs you consume, or more precisely, egg yolks.