Eggs are a good source of protein, but they have dietary cholesterol. The cholesterol we eat does not necessarily raise blood cholesterol for most people. Our bodies make all the cholesterol we need, we do not need dietary cholesterol. What has a big impact on cholesterol is the amount of fat you eat. For patients with cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk lowering dietary cholesterol is important.
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat in the body. Cholesterol helps form the lining (membrane) of the body’s cells and it plays a role in hormone production. Two subtypes of cholesterol we care a lot about are:
HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol).
- LDL can get trapped in the lining of the artery. Over time, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
- HDL’s job is to help remove LDL from the body.
Can I eat eggs or not?
Yes, but in the right way. If you regularly have an egg, reduce saturated fat in other areas of your diet. Eating moderate amounts of eggs will have little impact on blood cholesterol for most people.
However, if you are adding a lot of saturated fat (bad fat), such as preparing eggs with butter, cheese, bacon, sausage, or eating excessive amounts of eggs a day, you are going to run into issues.
Are there other satisfying breakfast or snack choices that won’t impact cholesterol? Absolutely! Oatmeal, low-fat plain yogurt, egg whites, fruit with modest amounts of nuts, avocado and whole wheat toast, or peanut butter on whole wheat toast are excellent choices. But taste preferences, cultural differences, allergies, and time constraints make some of these challenging.
Reasons to Choose Eggs
• Good source of complete protein. If you don’t eat much red meat or high-fat dairy, eggs are a good addition to the diet. At seven grams of protein per whole egg, it’s a more efficient, readily absorbed protein option (more so than beans or lentils).
• Keep you fuller for longer and are satisfying! The fat and protein content of eggs will keep you fuller longer, prevent overeating later compared to options like bagels, toast, cold cereal, pancakes, or waffles.
• Eggs won’t raise blood sugar. This is a big for patients with diabetes, especially those who don’t eat much poultry or fish. While lentils and beans have protein, they are primarily carbohydrate (which raises blood sugar).
• Easy to prepare. They take a few minutes to cook. Hard-boiled eggs make meal and snack time simple.
Overall, yes, eggs can raise your cholesterol but not as much as saturated fat. It’s about your dietary balance in general.
Eggs can be part of your diet if you don’t over due the amount of fats you eat, egg whites are also a healthy alternative. For patients with diabetes one egg per day is OK to eat but should refrain from frying or adding a lot of butter and cheese. For patients with diabetes there is no diabetic diet, we recommend a healthy diet low in starchy carbohydrates. Using the plate method can help make sure you get enough protein in your diet.
