Q. I’m so confused about eggs. First we were told to avoid them because of the cholesterol. Then I read that eggs are not harmful. In fact, the suggestion was that pancakes and cold cereal are less healthful for breakfast. What is your opinion?
A. Eggs have gotten a bad rap. Egg yolks are rich in cholesterol, so researchers assumed that eating eggs would raise cholesterol and that would increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But there weren’t good data behind that assumption.
A meta-analysis conducted last year looked at studies that determined how many eggs people ate and whether that correlated with their likelihood of suffering a heart attack or stroke (BMJ, Jan. 7, 2013). If eggs are causing heart attacks, people eating more eggs should be at higher risk.
The researchers found no evidence that eating more eggs increases the risk of a heart attack. People with diabetes do need to be more cautious, though. For them, eating an extra egg a day boosted heart attack risk by about 50%.
So, as long as you do not have diabetes, enjoy your eggs. In our opinion, a scrambled or poached egg is a great way to start the day, and definitely a better breakfast than a Danish or pancakes with syrup that could make blood sugar and insulin soar.
For more ideas on beneficial breakfasts and scrumptious suppers that are also good for you, you may be interested in our book, Recipes & Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy.
