Cholesterol in eggs has dropped 14 percent over the past decade, according to new USDA research.
Another reason to enjoy a scrambled egg for breakfast: New nutrition data from the USDA's Agricultural Research Services adjusts the amount of cholesterol in a single chicken egg from 215mg to 185mg -- a drop of 14 percent. In a release from the (happy) American Egg Board, Dr. Jacob Exler, nutritionist with the USDA's Nutrient Data Laboratory (which we use for analyzing Delicious Living recipes), explains: "We collected a random sample of regular large shell eggs from 12 locations across the country ... This testing procedure was last completed with eggs in 2002, and while most nutrients remained similar to those values, cholesterol decreased by 14 percent and vitamin D increased by 64 percent from 2002 values."
Why? Researchers may believe it has something to do with improved feed. Given that eggs' nutrition reputation continues to labor under the myth that they're bad for heart health, this is helpful news -- especially since eggs are lean, inexpensive, and easy to use in recipes. Just be sure to pay attention to labels for eggs that are also humanely raised.