Eggs & Cholesterol
So I have a surprising number of people ask me about eggs. It seems that a fair number of you like them but are afraid that their high cholesterol content will have a negative impact on your cholesterol. As it turns out, the newest research shows that it’s actually excessive intake of saturated fat, rather than cholesterol that negatively affects risk factors (i.e. high blood lipids, cholesterol, and blood pressure) for the development of cardiovascular disease.
Here’s a quick little abstract from the Journal of American College of Nutrition which states that “The most recent American Heart Association guidelines no longer include a recommendation to limit egg consumption, but recommend the adoption of eating practices associated with good health.” In fact, there just doesn’t seem to be good data that eating a lot of eggs directly increases cholesterol levels.
Currently, the AHA recommends 6 or fewer eggs per week. This article provides a list of cooking tips to consider if you are worried about your heart health. Remember, it’s the overall pattern of your diet that matters most! It’s not about obsessing over one food in isolation.
But I say, let’s focus on the positive. Eggs offer some really fantastic nutritional benefits. It’s a great source of protein, fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A,D,E,K), and they are super cheap! So I say scramble a couple of eggs with your favorite veggies and serve it up with some whole grain toast. Here’s how I serve up my eggs at home:
1.) Saute whatever veggies I have in the house (peppers, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, onions, etc) in some olive oil, black pepper, red pepper, and garlic for 5 minutes (or so).
2.) Whisk together an egg or two with some skim milk and season salt.
3.) Pour the egg mixture into the pan with the cooked veggies.
4.) Scramble until desired consistency (I never can make a beautiful omelette so I just end up scrambling them up).
5.) Toast some whole grain bread and serve your eggs with hot sauce, salsa, ketchup, or plain!