“Are eggs healthy for us? Can we eat the egg yolk even though it has been reported that the cholesterol in eggs is high?” As a dietitian this is one of the most common questions that I get asked on a regular basis. To start with it is always helpful to remember what cholesterol is.
Cholesterol in eggs – what is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a white, waxy substance that is needed by the body for many metabolic processes, including the production of hormones, bile and vitamin D and is produced naturally within the human body. There are two types of cholesterol; LDL (bad) and HDL (good). HDL is called the good cholesterol because it helps to remove the excess cholesterol out of the cells in the body, including cells in the arteries.
What are the cholesterol levels that I need to be aiming for?
It is recommended that cholesterol levels should be less than 5.5 mmol/L if there are no other risk factors present. If there are other risk factors (such as smoking or high blood pressure) then individuals should aim for LDL levels less than 2 mmol/L.
What foods are high in cholesterol?
Foods with cholesterol include eggs, prawns and offal (like liver, pate and kidney).
What about eggs??
Blood cholesterol levels are more influenced by the saturated and trans fat that we eat then the cholesterol in foods. The cholesterol in foods makes only very small insignificant changes to LDL levels within the body and this is why it is ok to eat eggs. The cholesterol in eggs is found in the yolk.
Cholesterol in Eggs
One egg has about 5 grams of fat; however this is the “good” unsaturated fat that can be included as part of a healthy balanced diet. A egg contains around 1.5 grams of saturated fat, no trans fat and 210mg cholesterol.
Eggs and the Heart Foundation Tick
You may have noticed that Eggs have the Heart Foundation Tick (shown below).
You can learn more about what the Heart Foundation Tick means by reading my blog article. This ticks means that eggs are a nutritious food and can be included as part of a balanced, healthy diet.
How many eggs per week?
The Heart Foundation recommends that people can eat up to 6 eggs per week without increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease. According to the heart foundation website you can eat one egg most days of the week or eat a serve of eggs (two eggs) in two to three meals per week.
An important note
Some people are sensitive to dietary cholesterol and eating small amounts can cause large increases in their LDL cholesterol. This article was written by our dietitian Rhiannon Welsh who is a Nutritionist, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Dietitians Association of Australia member.
If you have questions about cholesterol in eggs or healthy eating, contact your local doctor who will arrange for you to see a dietitian in Sydney. Contact us today!
For more information about cholesterol in eggs click the link to find out what the Heart Foundation has to say.