Are Eggs Back on the Naughty List?

I just wanted to share with our readers because of its importance prevent heart disease.

By Kelly Young

Frequent egg consumption or high cholesterol intake is associated with increased risk for incident cardiovascular disease and mortality, according to a JAMA study.

In six cohort studies, nearly 30,000 adults free of cardiovascular disease provided information on their dietary intake at baseline. During a median 18 years’ follow-up, there were 5400 incident cardiovascular events and 6100 deaths.

Every 300-mg increase in daily dietary cholesterol intake, which included eggs and meats, was associated with 17% increased risk for incident CVD and 18% increased risk for mortality. Each additional half egg eaten every day was associated with 6% and 8% increased risks, respectively. These latter associations were all or largely explained by the eggs’ cholesterol content. A large egg contains roughly 190 mg of cholesterol.

An editorialist concludes: “Considering the negative consequences of egg consumption and dietary cholesterol in the setting of heart-healthy dietary patterns, the importance of following evidence-based dietary recommendations, such as limiting intake of cholesterol-rich foods, should not be dismissed.”