Q. For years I have been conscientiously avoiding eggs. I am hoping I won’t need cholesterol-lowering medication.
I heard that it’s not necessary to give up eggs entirely. But if eggs are loaded with cholesterol, how could it be safe to eat them?
A. Egg yolks do contain roughly 200 mg of cholesterol. Research has shown, however, that healthy people don’t need to forego eggs as you have done.
Two large studies of thousands of health professionals demonstrated years ago that as much as an egg a day doesn’t substantially increase the risk of heart disease or stroke (JAMA, April 21, 1999). More recently, a meta-analysis of eight studies confirmed this finding (BMJ, Jan. 7, 2013).
Red Flag for Diabetes
Both publications indicate that frequent egg consumption may raise cardiovascular risk for people with diabetes. They may need to limit eggs, but for most people, regular exercise and lots of fiber from fruits and vegetables as well as nuts can help control cholesterol.
