Summary Dietary cholesterol in foods such as eggs has only a small and clinically insignificant
effect on blood cholesterol, especially when compared with the much greater effects
of dietary saturated fatty acids on blood cholesterol. These facts are now well
established and, as a consequence, recommendations from major food and health
bodies concerning dietary cholesterol have been relaxed in the UK and elsewhere in
recent years. However, in the minds of the public, cholesterol in the diet, specifically
from eggs, continues to be viewed with suspicion and that view is still reflected in
the advice of some professionals.
Introduction
The popular misconception that eggs are ‘bad for your
blood cholesterol’ and therefore ‘bad for your heart’
persists among many people and still continues to influ-
ence the advice of some health professionals. This myth
prevails despite strong evidence to show that the effects
of cholesterol-rich foods on blood cholesterol are small
and clinically insignificant. It also prevails in the face of
the incontrovertible fact that changes in dietary satu-
rated fatty acids (SFA) influence the level of circulating
low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol to a much
greater extent than the dietary cholesterol in foods. The
misunderstanding of the relationship between dietary
and blood cholesterol originated in part from the erro-
neous belief that the cholesterol we eat converts directly
into blood cholesterol, but also from the strong dietary
messages about egg restriction that emanated primarily
from the United States (US) in the 1970s. The ubiqui-
tous American egg white omelette options on menus
that are otherwise dominated by high saturated fat and
energy-dense choices should be viewed as a nutritional
contradiction to cardiovascular health. In spite of the
lifting of restrictions on egg consumption by major food
and health advisory bodies in the UK, Europe and else-
where, the mythology lives on against a background of
escalating obesity and advice to lower SFA intake – a
climate in which the egg, as a protein-rich, nutrient-
dense food that is not high in energy or SFA, can make
a valuable contribution to a healthy balanced diet.
Nutrient composition of eggs
Eggs are a nutrient-dense food that, contrary to popular
opinion, are not high in SFA or in energy. The nutrient
composition of a raw egg is shown in Table 1. Eggs are
rich in cholesterol (391 mg per 100 g in a raw egg;
approximately 225 mg in a medium-sized egg) (FSA
2002). However, the total fat and SFA content is not
high and the fat in eggs is predominantly unsaturated
(44% monounsaturated; 11% polyunsaturated). An egg
is also relatively low in energy (896 kJ/214 kcal per
100 g; approximately 335 kJ/80 kcal in a medium-sized
egg) and is a valuable source of many essential micro-
nutrients and a rich source of high quality protein (FSA
2002). The protein content of the diet has long been
associated with increased satiety and there is some evi-
dence that the high protein content of eggs may contrib-
ute to greater satiety than, for example, white bread and
ready-to-eat breakfast cereals (Holt et al. 1995). There
is also emerging evidence from the US that eggs could
help to promote weight loss in overweight and obese
subjects by increasing feelings of satiety and reducing
short-term energy intake (Vander Wal et al. 2005).
Summary Dietary cholesterol in foods such as eggs has only a small and clinically insignificanteffect on blood cholesterol, especially when compared with the much greater effectsof dietary saturated fatty acids on blood cholesterol. These facts are now wellestablished and, as a consequence, recommendations from major food and healthbodies concerning dietary cholesterol have been relaxed in the UK and elsewhere inrecent years. However, in the minds of the public, cholesterol in the diet, specificallyfrom eggs, continues to be viewed with suspicion and that view is still reflected inthe advice of some professionals.IntroductionThe popular misconception that eggs are ‘bad for yourblood cholesterol’ and therefore ‘bad for your heart’persists among many people and still continues to influ-ence the advice of some health professionals. This mythprevails despite strong evidence to show that the effectsof cholesterol-rich foods on blood cholesterol are smalland clinically insignificant. It also prevails in the face ofthe incontrovertible fact that changes in dietary satu-rated fatty acids (SFA) influence the level of circulatinglow density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol to a muchgreater extent than the dietary cholesterol in foods. Themisunderstanding of the relationship between dietaryand blood cholesterol originated in part from the erro-neous belief that the cholesterol we eat converts directlyinto blood cholesterol, but also from the strong dietarymessages about egg restriction that emanated primarilyfrom the United States (US) in the 1970s. The ubiqui-tous American egg white omelette options on menusthat are otherwise dominated by high saturated fat andenergy-dense choices should be viewed as a nutritionalcontradiction to cardiovascular health. In spite of thelifting of restrictions on egg consumption by major foodand health advisory bodies in the UK, Europe and else-where, the mythology lives on against a background ofescalating obesity and advice to lower SFA intake – aclimate in which the egg, as a protein-rich, nutrient-dense food that is not high in energy or SFA, can makea valuable contribution to a healthy balanced diet.Nutrient composition of eggsEggs are a nutrient-dense food that, contrary to popularopinion, are not high in SFA or in energy. The nutrientcomposition of a raw egg is shown in Table 1. Eggs arerich in cholesterol (391 mg per 100 g in a raw egg;approximately 225 mg in a medium-sized egg) (FSA2002). However, the total fat and SFA content is nothigh and the fat in eggs is predominantly unsaturated(44% monounsaturated; 11% polyunsaturated). An eggis also relatively low in energy (896 kJ/214 kcal per100 g; approximately 335 kJ/80 kcal in a medium-sizedegg) and is a valuable source of many essential micro-nutrients and a rich source of high quality protein (FSA2002). The protein content of the diet has long beenassociated with increased satiety and there is some evi-dence that the high protein content of eggs may contrib-ute to greater satiety than, for example, white bread andready-to-eat breakfast cereals (Holt et al. 1995). Thereis also emerging evidence from the US that eggs couldhelp to promote weight loss in overweight and obesesubjects by increasing feelings of satiety and reducingshort-term energy intake (Vander Wal et al. 2005).
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