Nutrition

Eggs: A Heart-Smart Choice

Unscrambling cholesterol

For many years, people believed that they had to limit dietary cholesterol found in foods of animal origin such as meat, poultry, shellfish, eggs, and milk products, to prevent a rise in blood cholesterol.

As science has evolved, so too has the thinking on cholesterol. Current lifestyle guidelines on prevention and management of heart disease and stroke do not recommend a limit on dietary cholesterol. Decades of research confirm dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol in most people.

In fact, most of the cholesterol our body needs is made by our liver. When dietary cholesterol intake decreases, the liver produces more cholesterol. And when dietary cholesterol consumption increases, the body absorbs less.

Your diet and cholesterol

Saturated fats tend to raise blood cholesterol. If you eat mostly natural whole foods and limit highly processed foods, saturated fats should not be a concern. Do your best to limit foods such as cookies, doughnuts, potato chips, chocolate and processed meats as they are a major source of saturated fats, sugar, and salt.

You can enjoy foods that naturally contain some saturated fat like eggs, lean meats, poultry, fish, and dairy products. These foods are loaded with nutrients and are good choices in healthy amounts.

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Eggs-actly what you need

Eggs are one of nature’s most nutritious foods, naturally packed with 14 important nutrients. They are an excellent source of high-quality protein and contain 6.5 grams per large egg. There are only 80 calories in a large egg, and two-thirds of the fat is unsaturated!

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Taking your heart to heart

If you’re watching your blood cholesterol, healthy habits can help improve your blood cholesterol levels and maintain your heart health.

Now you’re cooking!

It’s easy to fit eggs into a heart-healthy meal plan by including a balance of naturally nutritious foods.

That’s just a start! We’ve got many more delicious recipes for you to try.

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The bottom line

Cholesterol found in our food has very little effect on the cholesterol in our blood. Eating a healthy balance of natural whole foods, like protein-rich eggs, is one of the best ways to manage blood cholesterol levels and improve heart health.