Last Updated on May 16, 2023
Eggs are a popular, nutrient-dense food that’s high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fat. The egg white comprises 60% of the high-quality protein in eggs, while the yolk contains the rest, as well as essential healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – all of which combine to make eggs a great addition to your daily nutritional needs.
Eggs are an excellent addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet. Many people consume them on a regular or even daily basis in places of the world where they are economical and readily available.
You may have heard that the cholesterol found in eggs leads to heart disease, which is one of the main causes of death all over the world. This myth was propagated for years by health officials, doctors and nutrition associations, leading to some people avoiding eggs.
Although there is still much discussion on the matter, recent research reveals that the association between eating eggs and an increased risk of heart disease is not as significant as previously thought.
While eggs have a greater cholesterol content than many other foods. They’re also chock-full of disease-fighting bioactive chemicals and other nutrients.
Many health guidelines and recommendations have relaxed the restrictions on egg intake that were previously in place. Nonetheless, many people are concerned that eggs may be harmful to their heart health.
This blog post addresses the relationship between eggs, cholesterol, and heart health. It offers guidelines for how many eggs you can consume safely and who should limit their egg consumption.
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Are eggs good or bad for my cholesterol?
According to recent observational research and meta-analyses, eating eggs does not increase your risk of heart disease or its risk factors, such as inflammation, artery stiffness, and high cholesterol levels.
Although some studies have discovered a link between eggs and heart disease, these findings could be due to other factors. Bacon, sausage, and ham, which are foods commonly eaten with them may increase the risk of heart disease more than the eggs themselves.
Furthermore, the way eggs and other foods are prepared, particularly if fried in oil or butter, may play a bigger impact on the elevated risk of heart disease than the eggs themselves. Without raising their risk of heart disease, healthy people can eat up to seven eggs each week.
According to some research, this level of egg consumption may even help against some types of stroke and macular degeneration, a devastating eye ailment that can lead to blindness.
However, some data suggest that eating too many eggs raises your risk of heart disease if you have diabetes. Other studies, on the other hand, failed to uncover the same link. According to other research, consuming eggs may raise the likelihood of having diabetes in the first place.
Experts now recommend consuming as little dietary cholesterol as possible, aiming for less than 300 milligrams (mg) per day. A big egg contains around 186 mg of cholesterol, all of which is concentrated in the yolk. Use only the egg whites if you want eggs but don’t want the cholesterol. Although egg whites do not contain cholesterol, they do contain protein. Cholesterol-free egg alternatives prepared using egg whites are also an option.
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So how many eggs is it safe to eat per day?
As we learn more about how eggs interact with cholesterol and chronic diseases, it’s becoming obvious that the risk of eating too many of them varies from person to person.
Genetics, family history, how you prepare your eggs, your overall diet, and even where you live can all have an impact on how many of them you can consume safely each day. Take into account the overall cholesterol in your diet from items other than eggs. If you eat a low-cholesterol diet, you may have more room for eggs in your diet. If your diet is high in cholesterol, however, it may be better to minimize your egg consumption.
Some study suggests that 1–2 eggs per day are safe for a healthy adult with normal cholesterol levels and no substantial underlying heart disease risk factors. It could even be beneficial to your heart health. Eating more than 2 eggs a day could be a recipe for disaster.
Dangers of Eating Too Many Eggs
While eggs are the body’s best and cheapest source of protein, they must be consumed in moderation. Consuming too many of them on a daily basis might be hazardous to your health. It is important to be aware of the consequences of eating too many eggs on a regular basis.
Cholesterol overload
Earlier in this blog, I mentioned cholesterol as a potential issue with egg consumption. The more eggs you eat daily, the more cholesterol you are loading into your body. If you consume more than 2 of them in a single day for a week, you would’ve passed the healthy quota of cholesterol.
If a big egg contains around 186 mg of cholesterol and the recommended daily quota of dietary cholesterol is 300mg, two eggs are already 372mg! anything more than two is going way overboard.
You might be tempted to feel like you won’t be affected because you have low cholesterol levels but consuming that many eggs will cause a spike in your cholesterol levels which in itself is a bad thing (the sudden low to high can be really bad for your body).
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Cardiovascular diseases
We can’t lay so much emphasis on cholesterol without mentioning its biggest repercussion which is heart disease. High cholesterol levels in the bloodstream can have a negative impact on heart health. If left unchecked, the risk of cardiovascular disease will increase.
According to Dr Rashmi Byakodi, the egg yolk is more important than everything else when it comes to heart health because it is the part of the egg that contains all the dietary cholesterol and fat.
“Patients at risk of cardiovascular disease should reduce their egg yolk intake,” she recommended. “After a stroke or myocardial infarction, doctors generally advise against eating egg yolks.”
Other than egg yolks, it is important to watch the way you prepare your eggs. If you are more inclined to fry them in vegetable oil or butter, you need to make sure you are not having that every day. Consuming the natural fats from the egg yolk plus the extra from the cooking oil every day can fairly be considered overkill.
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Bloating
It’s very easy to overeat eggs and end up needing a nice couch-lay while your stomach churns, as it is with many things. Bloating, gas or abdominal pain may occur as a result of this.
Egg whites contain a high level of protein, which keeps us feeling fuller for longer, therefore bloating can be a problem. That is why they are occasionally included in weight-loss diets because they allow people to eat less without feeling hungry.
When eggs are ingested in excess, however, the accumulation of protein can leave one feeling bloated for an extended period of time, which can be rather painful.
Insulin resistance
Eggs are fatty—natural fat, but fat nonetheless. The lipids in eggs can have a significant impact on your blood sugar, especially if you overeat. They can cause insulin resistance, which means your blood sugar isn’t being utilised for energy in the way it should be.
Your pancreas will produce more insulin as a result, and your blood sugar levels will rise. It’s advised to limit your egg consumption if you already have a cardiovascular problem or type 2 diabetes.
However, in order for eggs to have such a negative effect, you’d have to consume a large number of them all at once. According to Healthline, eating no more than two eggs each day is sufficient to reap the health benefits (such as omega-3 fatty acids and protein) without experiencing the dangerous side effects of eating too many of them.
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Final Thoughts
No matter how good a thing is, too much of it will always course problems. Eggs contain so many essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients that could do our bodies so much good but without moderation of intake, they can cause a slew of health problems. Eating 4 or more of them in a day is not the best idea, no matter what you are trying to achieve. Kindly stick to the recommended 1-2 eggs per day for the best and healthiest results.
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