The messaging around eggs seems to be forever changing. With all of the different information about the effects of eggs out there, it isn’t surprising that you’re confused about how healthy or non-healthy eggs are for you. The truth is, they are probably not nearly as unhealthy as you’ve been led to believe and not the amazing miracle health product you’ve been taught to believe. Egg is just a complicated food that requires some real study to truly appreciate it.
History of egg health
The public understanding of the health benefits of eggs has changed over time:
- 1960s – people were told to always eat an egg for breakfast. There was even a popular slogan, “Go to work on an egg.”
- 1970s – people were told to minimize eggs in their diet because researchers started linking eggs to high blood cholesterol levels.
- 1980s – raw eggs began to be linked to salmonella poisoning and people were once again weary of the egg.
- 2000s – researchers discovered that there was no relationship between regular egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
As you can see, people keep changing their understanding of eggs and their health benefits. They will probably only continue to change as the egg undergoes more research.
What we do know about egg and cholesterol
Eggs definitely have a high cholesterol content. A singular large egg has 221 mg of cholesterol which I 70% of the recommended daily intake. But, while eggs are definitely laden down with cholesterol, their cholesterol levels do not negatively impact your body’s cholesterol levels. In fact, eating whole eggs can actually lead to some increase in your body’s “good” HDL cholesterol levels. This cholesterol is the type that you need to protect your heart.
