Q. My husband is convinced that eggs are bad for his heart. Even though he loves them, he pretty much avoids them except on very special occasions (such as holidays with family visiting).
His typical breakfast is cereal (usually corn flakes or granola) with bananas and honey. He takes his various pills with orange juice or cranberry juice and then tops it off with coffee. He prefers cream to skim milk and always puts a teaspoon of sugar in his coffee because he can’t stand unsweetened coffee. Sometimes he adds a bran muffin to this routine if he’s worried about constipation.
I have been hearing more about high-glycemic foods and blood sugar being a problem. No matter how much I suggest that an egg now and then would not kill him, he is a creature of habit and won’t give up his cereal. What’s the latest on eggs vs. cereal for breakfast?
A. Your husband is following an outdated message about the danger of eggs. Over 30 years ago many doctors warned people that eggs would raise cholesterol and increase their risk of heart attakcs. There was little evidence that was actually the case, but the message stuck. Here is some actual science to undermine the mythology.
In one study (Medical Science Monitor, Jan, 2007) researchers tracked 9,734 adults between the ages of 25 and 74 over 20 years. They found that:
“Consumption of greater than 6 eggs per week (average of 1 egg or greater per day) does not increase the risk of stroke and ischemic stroke.”
Another epidemiological study (JAMA, April 21, 1999) involving 37,851 men and 80,082 women found that coronary heart disease (CHD) was not affected by egg consumption:
“These findings suggest that consumption of up to 1 egg per day is unlikely to have substantial overall impact on the risk of CHD or stroke among healthy men and women.”
More recently(BMJ, Jan. 7, 2013), a meta-analysis of numerous other research reports involving 3,081,269 person years concluded that there was no association between eating eggs and heart attacks:
“Higher consumption of eggs (up to one egg per day) is not associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.”
People with diabetes might fall into a separate category, however. Several studies found that people with diabetes might be at increased risk if they regularly consumed eggs. If your husband does not have diabetes, he probably doesn’t need to be so cautious about eating eggs.
Speaking of diabetes and blood sugar, though, your husband’s breakfast may not be as healthy as he thinks. He is consuming high-glycemic index foods. That means his cereal with bananas and honey, the orange juice, the muffin and the sugar in his coffee are likely to raise his blood glucose levels rapidly. In response, his insulin levels will also rise quickly. This diet produces more inflammation and is not heart healthy. In fact an egg without so many carbohydrates is probably better for his overall metabolism and heart health than his current breakfast.
If you would like to learn more about the glycemic index and how to create healthier breakfasts (and lunches and dinners) we humbly suggest our books, The People’s Pharmacy Quick & Handy Home Remedies, which provides practical details about the DASH (Dietary Approaches for Stopping Hypertension) Diet, The Mediterranean Diet and The Low-Carb Diet. You will find a list of our favorite foods that are far less likely to raise blood sugar, along with a smoothie recipe that is a great way way to start the day.
It may be hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but if your husband believes in science you may want to print out the research articles we have linked above so he can see that an egg once in awhile may actually be a better alternative than a high-carbohydrate cereal-based breakfast. If he reads our books, he can find references that clarify the benefits of low-carb, low-glycemic-index foods. He might also find some alternate breakfast recipes that he will enjoy and that will be good for his heart.
We welcome others to share their own healthy breakast recipes below. Where do you stand on the eggs vs cereal debate?
