New Research Findings: Eat Eggs Without Fear

The faulty research that has haunted the egg industry for years is finally being cleared. Eggs are good food for the majority of people and do not cause cholesterol problems.

Where Did This Faulty Research Come From?

Eggs got the thumbs down from flawed research presented many years ago that was funded by the cereal industry on dried egg yoke.This flawed research influenced the eating habits of Americans for years until recent new research studies. That flawed research helped fund the cereal industry. With eggs on the black list, the cereal industry flourished. Children's lives were filled with cartons of sugar laden cereals such as Coco Crispies and Frosted Flakes. You will find at least 50 other sugar injected empty cereals on the supermarket shelf. Why do people buy cereal because of cartoon characters featured on the box or prizes? It's the ingredients on the label that should influence the buying decision. Kids with diabetes are skyrocketing and sugar laden cereal is a big part of that problem.

The second reason eggs have gotten such a bad rap is because eggs do contain cholesterol. Scientists did not understand in the past about how the cholesterol in food relates to the cholesterol in your blood. So lets examine the real issues and new research available today.

Cholesterol: There are two kinds of cholesterol.

Blood Cholesterol is mainly produced by your liver and is naturally made by your body no matter what your diet. The body uses cholesterol to manufacture hormones, Vitamin D, and it keeps cell walls healthy.

Dietary Cholesterol is found in meat, poultry, and dairy products. For many years, they did not understand cholesterol and how it is affected by foods and life style. Just because you eat a food that contains cholesterol, does not mean it raises your blood cholesterol. They know now that saturated fats and trans fats are the major contributor to elevated cholesterol levels. Negative life style factors such as lack of exercise, smoking, fast food, and junk food are the real problems that raise LDL or bad cholesterol.

Egg Cholesterol and Fat: An egg contains 4.5 grams of fat which is only 7 percent of the daily value. Only one third of that fat is saturated (1.5 grams) and 2 grams is polyunsaturated fat. . An egg contains about 215 mg of cholesterol but is low in saturated fat. There are no trans fatty acids in eggs. Trans fatty acids increase total cholesterol, raise LDL or bad cholesterol, and lower HDL or good cholesterol levels.

Lets Compare Eggs To a Lean Hamburger Patty:

A 3.5 ounce quarter pounder hamburger may contain less cholesterol (100 grams) but is laded with 4 times the saturated fat of an egg and almost 200 more calories. Many people get larger burgers with two meat patties and cheese. Some of them are dressed up with bacon. With the super-sized burgers you super-size the saturated fat and calories as well. That is without the other stuff people usually consume with the hamburger such as fries, coke, shake, and more. Saturated fat is the real villain in heart and cardiovascular disease.

5 billion burgers are eaten by Americans every year. The average person eats 3 hamburgers a week in this country. That equals pounds of saturated fat and calories. How many people eat hamburgers alone without the fries and soft drinks to go with it? Hamburgers mainly contain protein with very few additional vitamins.

Eggs Contain A Powerhouse of Nutrition:

Vitamins:

Eggs contain 75 calories, 6 grams of protein and all 8 essential amino acids in almost perfect ratio. They are rich in essential Omega fatty acids, zinc, iron, choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. Eggs contain small amounts of B vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin k, and Vitamin D.

Choline is Great For the Brain and Breast Health:

An egg contains 125 mg of choline. Choline recommendations are 425 mg for women and 550 mg for men. Several studies including one funded by the National Institutes of Health have shown that choline may be an important factor in the prevention of breast cancer. This reduction in breast cancer risk may be as high as 24 percent for women who eat eggs.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin;

Eggs are one of the highest sources for Lutein, a carotenoid, and zeaxanthin, that research shows help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Eggs supersede green leafy vegetables in lutein content which is mainly found in the egg yolk.

New Egg Nutrition- Cholesterol Research

The Harvard School of Public Health: Their 2008 research shows that the cholesterol in eggs does not have a negative effect on the blood cholesterol levels of healthy people. In fact their research showed that even up to 7 eggs a day did not cause cholesterol problems except in patients with cholesterol sensitivity and diabetes. There are no links that have been proved that eggs cause a higher risk for heart disease or stroke in healthy people. In fact many of the research studies showed that HDL or good cholesterol rose with diets that included eggs.

The European Journal of Nutrition published research in 2008 from the University of Surrey Health and Medical Sciences Faculty. This research was directed by Dr. Bruce Griffin, Professor of Nutritional Metabolism, His research study found that people who ate 2 eggs a day, while on a calorie restricted diet not only lost weight but reduced their cholesterol levels. Below is a quote from that research study.

Dr Griffin states: "There is no convincing evidence to link an increased intake of dietary cholesterol or eggs with coronary heart disease through raised blood cholesterol. Indeed, eggs make a nutritional contribution to a healthy, calorie-restricted diet. We have shown that when two eggs a day are eaten by people who are actively losing weight on a calorie-restricted diet, blood cholesterol can still be reduced."

Louisiana Penn State University Research;

The Penn State study showed that obese people who ate a 2 egg breakfast at least 5 times a week lost 65 percent more weight and had more energy than women who ate bagels for breakfast. This comes from Kristine Clark, Ph.D., R.D., Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Penn State.

Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez research:

Cholesterol researcher, Dr. Maria Luz Fernandez from the University of Connecticut's Department of Nutritional Sciences reviewed current published research studies on egg consumption. The different research studies tested the number of eggs eaten and their effect on blood cholesterol levels. The findings in all the studies showed that eating 3 eggs a day has little or no effect on blood cholesterol levels for these groups; children aged 10-12, men aged 20-50, and women who were pre-menopausal or post menopausal; This research addressed both whites and Hispanics. The only problem shown in research studies concerned cholesterol sensitive people and people who were diabetic.

Cholesterol sensitive people; 30 per cent of individuals have inherited problems causing them to create more blood cholesterol than is healthy. These individuals do need to watch their diet including their consumption of eggs. Diabetics must also be careful with their cholesterol consumption. If you are cholesterol sensitive, eat egg whites only.

The Average American Diet Is Full of Junk Foods

The average American diet for both children and adults lack exercise and are filled with fast food, fat food and junk food that are filled with empty calories. The American diet contains insufficient salads, whole fruits, fiber, green leafy vegetables, and is high in sugar. So knowing this, where do you think eggs fall on the list of life style factors that promote high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. Eggs are eaten mainly at breakfast, so what are you eating for the other two meals and snacks?

My Life Style and Eggs

Eggs should not be eaten with bacon and high calorie addictions. My breakfast often is 2 eggs and toast. Toast with a small amount of butter and no jelly. I am good until the afternoon. I have eaten my organic raised chicken eggs for a lifetime. I have often eaten 3 eggs instead of two. My blood pressure is normal, my cholesterol is normal, and my blood sugar is normal. I am not perfect, being 10 pounds over my best weight and I eat usually two to three pieces of chocolate a day. I walk for exercise. There is no soda or junk food in the house. We don't eat out much and I fix healthy meals at home. I have a garden and we eat our own vegetables and lettuce when they are available.

My husband who had high blood pressure and high cholesterol when I met him, no longer has abnormal readings. We eat eggs almost every day. I have always bought cage free organic eggs if i did not have my own chickens. I do believe they are better quality than eggs eaten from caged chickens.

References;

http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Cholesterol-Rich-Foods-Raise-Blood-Cholesterol.html

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/nutrition-labels-9/cholesterol-food

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/84279

http://www.military.com/military-fitness/nutrition/think-eggs-are-unhealthy-crack-wise

http://refreshingnews9.blogspot.com/2009/12/truth-about-eggs.html

http://www.theplc.net/Eggs_Cholesterol_Heart_Disease.html

http://www.aeb.org/Retailers/nutrition.html

http://mb.com.ph/node/198301

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/breastcancer/5747/eat-choline-rich-eggs-for-breast-health/