Cholesterol in eggs related to heart disease, deaths

The risk of heart disease and death increases with the number of eggs that an individual consumes, according to nutrition expert UMass Lowell who has studied the problem.

Research that followed the diet, health and lifestyle of nearly 30,000 adults across the country for 31 years revealed that cholesterol in eggs consumed in large quantities was associated with adverse effects on the body. health, according to Katherine Tucker, a professor and professor of nutrition science at Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences UMass University of Lowell, co-author of the analysis. The study was published in Journal of the American Medical Association.

The results of the study come as egg consumption in the country continues to increase. In 2017, people ate an average of 279 eggs a year, up from 254 in 2012, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

The American nutrition recommendations for Americans do not give advice on the number of eggs that individuals should eat each day. The guidelines, updated every five years, do not include this, as nutrition experts began to believe that saturated fats were the determining factor in high cholesterol levels, rather than eggs, according to Tucker . However, before 2015, the guidelines recommended that individuals not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day, she said.

According to the USDA, a large egg contains nearly 200 milligrams of cholesterol, or about the same amount as an 8 ounce steak. Other foods high in cholesterol include processed meats, cheese and high-fat dairy products.

Although the new research does not offer specific recommendations on egg consumption or cholesterol, it has shown that each additional slice of 300 milligrams of cholesterol consumed beyond a base value 300 milligrams per day was associated with an increased cardiovascular risk of 17% and a higher risk of 18%. of death.

Eating more eggs a week is "reasonable," said Tucker, who said it includes healthy nutrients for eyes and bones. "But I recommend people avoid eating three-egg omelets everyday." Nutrition is a matter of moderation and balance. "

The research results also revealed that the exercise regimen and the overall quality of the study participants' diet, including the amount and type of fat they consumed, did not change. the link between cholesterol in one's diet and the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.

"It's a solid study because modeling has been adjusted based on factors such as the quality of the feed," Tucker said. "Even for people with a healthy diet, the adverse effects of increased consumption of eggs and cholesterol were consistent."