Professional Opinion: Eating eggs -- good or bad?
This week, Kassie Nicknadarvich, a registered dietitian with Beaufort Memorial Hospital's LifeFit Wellness Center, talks about the effects of eggs on cholesterol.
Question: I keep hearing about eggs and cholesterol. First, eggs are bad and now they seem to be OK to consume. How often can I eat eggs during the week before it starts to impact my cholesterol?
Answer: After many years of getting a "bad" reputation, eggs are making a comeback.
Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services release "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" age two and older.
The effects of dietary cholesterol on serum cholesterol was a hot topic for the 2015 Advisory Committee Report to the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
In years past, the guidelines recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300mg per day. But that limitation was removed from the most recent guidelines, because there is no available evidence to show a direct relationship between consuming cholesterol and cholesterol levels.
Bottom line, consuming cholesterol should not be your main concern.
Eggs were a big target due to the yolks having a lot of cholesterol -- roughly two-thirds of the previous recommended cholesterol limit.
However, eggs also contain nutrients that can help lower the risk for heart disease, including protein, vitamins B12 and D, riboflavin and folate.
Eggs are deemed a complete protein providing you with all eight essential amino acids. Proteins are the building blocks of the human body and serve many purposes throughout the body.
Eggs also contain antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthin) that have a major benefit for eye health. And, with as little as 75 calories, eggs are very fulfilling and can help curb hunger which can assist with weight management.
In addition, eggs are very versatile and can be used at any meal. Adding fresh vegetables to your egg dishes can add flavor and color as well as giving you antioxidants and vitamins without adding a significant amount of calories.
As with any food, all whole foods are good in moderation. That said, I would not recommend having a three-egg omelet every morning, but having one egg daily can be part of a healthy diet.
If you are going for that omelet, try removing one of the egg yolks to lessen the calories.
Also pay close attention to what you are pairing with your eggs. Remember eggs are a protein so having eggs with sausage or bacon would give you twice the amount of protein you need and increase calories significantly. Egg substitutes are an option but have many additives and may be higher in sodium.
So, it's best to not put all your eggs in one basket. Remember it's your overall diet that is most important for achieving good health.
Follow reporter Mindy Lucas at twitter.com/MindyatIPBG.
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This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Professional Opinion: Eating eggs -- good or bad?."