Have you ever heard that egg consumption can cause cardiovascular disease? A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition denies that myth. Researchers found that eggs are not a risk factor of coronary artery disease, not even a relatively high intake of cholesterol found in one whole egg.
The fact that eggs can cause cardiovascular disease is a myth also for people who carry the ApoE4 gene. The blood cholesterol of these patients has been thought to be more affected if they consume a diet high in cholesterol, which is found in animal food sources.
“There is no current recommendation on how many eggs you should consume each week,” said Julia Zumpano from the Preventive Cardiology Nutrition Program of Cleveland Clinic, as reported by Tech Times.
Still, researchers say people must moderate their daily cholesterol intake. A single egg contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol, most of which are found in the yolk. If a person wants to eat more eggs, he or she only has to limit the intake of other food items that have high levels of saturated and trans fat.
Be aware of your health condition and adapt your egg consumption to your needs
Nutrition experts say that an individual who does not suffer from heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes, can safely have one whole egg per day on the average, since this will not increase the person’s risk of cardiovascular disease.
But patients with known heart disease, high cholesterol or diabetes must limit their egg consumption to two or less per week. By doing so they will prevent heart disease, particularly if they also limit their intake of other cholesterol-rich food and items with high trans and saturated fat.
Another tip experts recommend is to cook and eat eggs in the healthiest, less risky way. People are advised to avoid salt when cooking hard-boiled or poached eggs, as well as to stop using butter on scrambled eggs because it is especially high in saturated fat.
Moreover, nutritionists say people elevate eggs’ fat content by around 50 percent when frying them, which is why experts strongly recommend to avoid this cooking method. They also advise to eat egg whites more than yolks, given that these have lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol while yolks are responsible for making eggs less healthy.
The key is to moderate the daily intake of cholesterol and cook eggs the right way to stay healthy.
Source: Tech Times