Will eating eggs raise your cholesterol? Study: Daily consumption may reduce risk of heart disease

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Will eating eggs raise your cholesterol? Study: Daily consumption may reduce risk of heart disease

Recently, there has been an “egg shortage” in Taiwan, and some well-known chain restaurants have announced that they have suspended the supply of egg-related products, causing many egg-loving people to complain that they can’t bear it. However, there are also certain groups of people who are worried that eggs contain too high “cholesterol” and stay away from egg yolks. Will eating eggs every day take in too much cholesterol? Research published in “eLife” believes that eating eggs may bring certain cardiovascular benefits.

Are there any cardiovascular benefits to eating eggs? Study: Helps increase “good cholesterol”

The research was initiated by Peking University in China. The research team collected data from a biobank on 4,778 participants, of whom 3,401 had cardiovascular disease and 1,377 had no history of cardiovascular disease. The study analyzed 225 biomarkers in participants’ blood, 24 of which were related to dietary egg intake.

This study led by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics of Peking University claims that in addition to higher protein content in the blood of people who eat moderate amounts of eggs every day, the composition of one of the types of “apolipoprotein A1” (ApoA1) is relatively high. Apolipoprotein A1 is the main component of high-density lipoprotein HDL, the “good cholesterol” in plasma. It can help blood vessels remove excess cholesterol, thereby reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke.

Studies have pointed out that daily dietary egg intake affects 24 of 225 biomarkers, including apolipoprotein A1 and acetate, and also affects the diameter of HDL. Participants who ate more eggs also showed a negative correlation with very low-density lipoprotein (LVDL) and total cholesterol in their blood.

Expert: People who eat more eggs in their diet have fewer “harmful substances” in their cardiovascular systems

In addition, the research team also identified 14 blood components related to the risk of heart disease. Participants who consumed fewer eggs had lower levels of beneficial cardiovascular metabolites and higher levels of harmful metabolites in their blood. Canqing Yu, the author of the study, said that relevant studies in the past have suggested that eating eggs is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Such research will help understand the causal relationship between the two and may also have an impact on the formulation of dietary guidelines by competent authorities. .

Liming Li, Distinguished Professor of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Peking University, added that China’s daily dietary guidelines require eating at least 40-50 grams of eggs (about 1 egg) a day, and the yolk and egg white should be eaten together. , is a more beneficial and safe choice for personal health conditions. However, the overall data shows that people’s egg intake is lower than the average. More publicity strategies should be used to encourage the public to consume eggs appropriately to help reduce the overall incidence of cardiovascular events in society.

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In addition to the above-mentioned studies, Harvard University’s TH CHAN School of Public Health also published a comprehensive analysis study in “BMJ” in 2020, pointing out that there is no obvious relationship between moderate intake of eggs and cardiovascular disease. The study, which used the Nurses’ Health Database (NHS) to analyze data from 173,563 women and 90,214 men, found that egg consumption did not increase cardiovascular risk.

Harvard Medical School points out that most cholesterol in the human body is produced by the liver and is not necessarily related to the cholesterol content in the diet. Instead, attention should be paid to whether the diet contains too much saturated fat and trans fat. The saturated fat content of an egg is only about 1.5 grams, and it contains lutein, zeaxanthin and other nutrients that are beneficial to the brain and nerves. It also contains 2710 units of vitamin A and 41 units of vitamin D.

Harvard Medical School reminds that the focus is on the dietary content that goes with eggs. In Western-style diet, eggs are often eaten with butter, bacon, sausage, waffles, and scones. These high-fat foods have higher cholesterol content than eggs. Much. Refined carbohydrates such as waffles and hash browns can also increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Source:

Ask the Doctor: Are eggs risky for heart health?

Moderate egg consumption not associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk

Association of egg consumption, metabolic markers, and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A nested case-control study

Further reading:

A must-see for those trying to lose weight! Study: Eating more protein to maintain “net weight” can also reduce the risk of obesity

The cholesterol culprit needs to be replaced! Study: Eating eggs regularly increases “good cholesterol” and reduces the incidence of heart disease

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