Gulf Times, Qatar
05-03-07
Eggs not a cholesterol risk: experts
LONDON: Going to work on an egg can help you lose weight and will not raise
cholesterol levels, experts said yesterday.
New research has shown that advice to limit consumption to just two eggs a
week is unnecessary and may deprive people of vital nutrients.
Two eggs a day for breakfast for five days of the week was associated with
greater weight loss than a bagel breakfast of the same calories.
Women eating eggs for breakfast reported having better energy levels and
feeling fuller for longer.
Other research found that the risk of heart disease from consuming cholesterol in
eggs is “insignificant” and as the benefits of the high levels of nutrients in eggs
far outweigh any perceived risk.
The studies in America were funded by the American Egg Board but appeared in
independent medical journals.
The findings have been backed by British experts. Lyndel Costain, registered
dietician with the British Dietetics Association, said: “Cholesterol in the diet has
little effect on cholesterol levels in the blood of most people. Only people with a
genetic condition which raises cholesterol or those who have diabetes need to
limit their egg consumption to two or three a week.
If you are eating a balanced diet there is no reason to cut down on eggs and it is
fine to have one every day if you wish.”
She said eggs are an important source of vitamins and minerals. Early research
has shown that another nutrient present in eggs, lutein, could be important to
maintain eye health.
Eggs are low in calories, high in protein, and cheap and easy to cook, she said.
Several research studies were presented at the Experimental Biology conference
in Washington DC this week.
A team at Louisiana State University found that women who ate two eggs for
breakfast for five days of the week lost 65% more weight than a group eating the
same amount of calories in a bagel for breakfast. They also had an 83% greater
reduction in waist measurement – an important indicator of heart disease risk.
The study found no differences in levels of good and bad cholesterol levels
between the two groups.
A study from Iowa State University found only one in 10 people in America are
eating enough choline, of which eggs are an important source.
Choline is used in all the cells in the body and is important for brain function. –
London Evening Standard