The egg dilemma – By Dr Harold Gunatillake

Are eggs good or bad for your health?

Studies found that consuming two eggs per day was linked to a 27 per cent high risk of developing heart disease.

“Many experts say this study does not justify dropping eggs from your diet.”

“This is an observational study, so it doesn’t prove that cholesterol (in eggs) increases the risk of developing heart disease.”

Once, eggs were considered balls of cholesterol. When it was discovered that cholesterol was one of the reasons that resulted in coronary plaque formations leading to heart attacks, it was natural to demonise eggs as a cause of heart disease.

About three decades back, studies revealed that high cholesterol in eggs had no connection with blood cholesterol, and most of it was manufactured in your liver.

The average egg has about 200 milligrams of cholesterol. Recent studies have shown that cholesterol in eggs is closer to 150-160mg and continues to improve.

Many studies show that eating more eggs makes you more prone to developing diabetes or worsening diabetes.

So, it is vital to restrict eating eggs to an average of one per day up to a maximum of six per week.

Studies revealed that participants who ate the most eggs were less physically active, consumed more fat and animal protein, and had higher serum cholesterol levels.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers compared egg consumption with blood glucose levels in more than 8,000 participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. The studies showed that consuming more than one eggs per day may increase the risk of diabetes by 60%,

Let’s talk about choline found in eggs.

Along with a host of other vitamins and minerals, one large egg contains 164mg of choline. This provides about 30-38% of the adequate intake recommendation for adults. Choline is contained in the egg yolk, not the egg white.

Studies from Harvard appear to link choline with prostate cancer, and colon cancer, if you eat in excess.

Red meat and dairy products have been inconsistently associated with an increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. In addition, we recently reported that whole egg intake was positively associated with the risk of lethal prostate cancer. Meat, milk, whole eggs, and poultry are all dietary sources of choline—an essential nutrient with many roles, including cell membrane structure and function, carbon metabolism, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Choline is highly concentrated in prostate cancer cells, and blood concentrations of choline have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Thus, it is possible that the previously reported relations between meat, milk, and eggs and advanced prostate cancer were attributable in part to the choline content of these foods. However, no study has examined dietary choline regarding the risk of lethal prostate cancer or cancer survival.

Do hard-boiling eggs destroy choline?

The cooking process indeed destroys a tiny amount of some of the vitamins and minerals found in eggs. Raw eggs are slightly higher in B vitamins (like vitamin B6 and folate), vitamin E, mineral choline, and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin.

Egg white has many proteins and is good, but cholesterol is found in the yolk. Egg yolk has choline and good vitamins.

Eating two and a half eggs raises your risk of prostate cancer by 80 per cent.

Choline in eggs also can cause colorectal cancer if you eat in excess. Choline breaks down cholesterol, is good for your brain, acts as a biosalt in the liver and helps breakdown down cholesterol.

Eggs are beneficial to your vision problems.

Egg yolk helps improve our vision, eye health, and brain health. So there are factors that promote good health with eggs in moderation.

Current evidence from human studies suggests dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs can lead to their accumulation in the retina and, as a result, may protect against retinal degeneration.

Lutein and zeaxanthin can help protect your eyes from harmful high-energy light waves like ultraviolet rays in sunlight. Studies suggest that a high level of both in eye tissue is linked with better vision, especially in dim light or where glare is a problem.

Choline breaks down cholesterol in your liver.

Choline supplements are said to reduce cholesterol, control mood swings, and protect the liver from damage due to alcohol. They also may lower blood pressure, boost memory, and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Choline may also enhance athletic performance.

So, eggs have many health benefits though they have been demonized. As they say, everything in moderation. Eating one egg a day is safe and cause no problems.

Insulin sensitivity in relation to eggs.

Unlike observational studies, short-term clinical studies have shown that high egg consumption is correlated with significant improvements in blood lipid level, cholesterol profile, insulin sensitivity, or hyperglycemia, suggesting that higher egg consumption might be beneficial to insulin resistance in T2D.

Do eggs increase insulin levels?

It was found that eating six to 12 eggs per week had no impact on cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose or insulin levels for people with diabetes.

The protein in the eggs is superior.

The anabolic effects of eggs are the ability to build protein tissues into muscles and joints. Protein is converted to glucose and used as fuel

What does lecithin in eggs do?

Nutrition researchers at Kansas State University have published the first evidence that cholesterol absorption is reduced by another compound in the egg, lecithin.

Under experimental conditions using an animal model that closely mimics human physiology, Koo and his associates found that a certain egg phospholipid interferes with the absorption of egg cholesterol and markedly lowers its uptake by the intestine.

Heating an egg can destroy some of the carotenoids. To maximise the nutrition of the eggs, it’s great to have them poached or over-easy. If you like them scrambled, it’s best to crack them inside of the pan and allow the whites to turn white before scrambling them. You may want to consume one or two eggs a day if you’re a small person. If you’re a larger person, you may want to consume three or four. Health benefits of eggs: • Eggs are a great source of protein • Eggs contain choline • Eggs contain lecithin • Eggs have vitamin K2, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin A • Eggs are rich in omega-3 fatty acids • Eggs are loaded with B vitamins • Eggs have minerals and trace minerals • Eggs contain carotenoids.

In conclusion, many eggs are demonised, and eating one egg daily has health benefits. I hope you enjoyed this video presentation. Stay safe, and goodbye for now.

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