Article by Ken Chang

For decades, we have been warned of the potential risk of strokes and heart attacks if we ate eggs daily. Previously, we were recommended to eat not more than 3 eggs in a week. However, latest studies has suggest that cholesterol from food source need not necessarily translate to elevating blood cholesterol levels.

It is true that dyslipidemia, a condition characterized by elevated total cholesterol (TC) or low density lipoprotein (LDL) or low levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke events. Basically, LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol as it deposits fats onto the wall of our blood vessels causing the narrowing of our blood vessels while HDL the “good” cholesterol transports the fat deposition from our blood vessels to the liver for metabolism. The elevation in “bad” cholesterol level and low level of “good cholesterol increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases overall. However, latest reports have demonstrated that cholesterol from food does not directly translate to “bad” cholesterol in the body. It was suggested that the production of the “bad” cholesterol stems from the release of cholesterol from the liver into the blood. Saturated fat and trans-fat in the diet is actually the main culprit stimulating the liver to release cholesterol into the blood. The fact of the matter is that a large sized egg only contains 1.5g of saturated fat which is around 0.6% based on a  2000kcal diet for the average adult. The Malaysian recommended nutrient intake 2005 recommends no more than 10% of saturated fatty acid intake.

Moreover, eggs are very nutrient packed as they contain a variety of nutrients especially the yolk of the eggs. Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin which are anti-oxidants that protect our eyes. Besides that, eggs also contain choline which helps in the neurotransmissions that is good for the nervous system. A 65g large egg has 270 IU of Vitamin A, 40 IU of vitamin D, 7g of protein and just over 72kcal of calories. They are actually very nutrient dense.

In conclusion, eggs are incredibly nutrient dense food that is good for our eyes, brain and nerve. Despite that it contains dietary cholesterol, it does not directly increase blood cholesterol level.

References

1. Anthony Komaroff. Are eggs risky for heart health?. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/are-eggs-risky-for-heart-health (accessed 24 Mar 2018).

2. Krauss RM, Blanche PJ, Rawlings RS, Fernstrom HS, Williams PT. Separate effects of reduced carbohydrate intake and weight loss on atherogenic dyslipidemia. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 May;83(5):1025-31

3. Elisa Zied. Is it OK to eat eggs every day?. https://www.today.com/health/it-ok-eat-eggs-every-day-t72841 (accessed 24 Mar 2018).