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Eggs & Cholesterol!
by Dr. Reuven Bruner, Ph.D.
Ounce for ounce, eggs have a lot more cholesterol than any
other food. It's all in the yolk, which contains over two-
thirds of the suggested daily limit for cholesterol. At the
same time, eggs are rich in protein, B vitamins, iron and
other minerals.
One large egg has about 213 milligrams of cholesterol.
Experts recommend keeping your daily cholesterol intake below
250 mg. When experts first recognized the connection between
cholesterol and heart disease, people were discouraged from
eating eggs. But over the years, as knowledge about
cholesterol and diet has grown, the advice about eggs has
loosened.
Today, the American Heart Association no longer makes a
recommendation about how many egg yolks people can eat each
week. In the past, the estimable group had suggested limiting
egg yolks to three to four a week as a way to help people
limit their average daily cholesterol intake. However, the
group does recommend that egg yolks be limited to two a week
for people who have or are at high risk of heart disease.
The sea change in thinking about eggs is due in part to the
fact that scientists now believe that saturated fats and
trans-fatty acids have a greater impact than dietary
cholesterol in raising the cholesterol levels in our bodies,
particularly LDL cholesterol. The bottom line remains that
eating an egg puts you close to the recommended daily limit
for cholesterol, so you need to make sure to round out your
other food choices with heart-healthy selections like fruits,
vegetables and whole grains.
Or switch to egg whites or egg substitutes. There is no
cholesterol in egg whites, and you can use 2 egg whites in
place of 1 egg yolk in most recipes. Egg substitutes have the
same amount of protein as real eggs, are usually nonfat and
are enriched with vitamins and other nutrients.
2004 Dr. Reuven Bruner. All Rights Reserved. For more
information contact him at: POB 1903, Jerusalem, 91314,
Israel; Tel: (02) 652-7684; Mobile: 052 2865-821; Fax: (02)
652-7227; Email: dr_bruner@hotmail.com
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