About fifteen years ago, egg consumption was discouraged by many health care practitioners because of their high cholesterol content. The average intact egg contains about 210 mg of cholesterol, whereas the recommended intake of cholesterol is 300 mg. However, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, in addition to several other studies, refute this. This study looked at the effects of egg consumption in 100,000 men and women, and concluded that eggs alone do not contribute to high cholesterol. In fact, when cholesterol was omitted from the diet of these subjects, their total cholesterol levels decreased only by 1%.
What researchers did discover was that individuals who consumed eggs also consumed bacon, ham, butter, and other food products that could contribute to high cholesterol levels. Not only do these foods have high cholesterol, they also contain high amounts of saturated fats and trans-fats--both of which contribute to high cholesterol levels and atherosclerosis.
Given these studies and the fact that eggs are an excellent source of nutrition, the American Heart Association now recommends that you can eat one egg a day, as opposed to three or four per week it previously allowed. Eggs are a rich source of protein, containing the essential amino acids required by your body. In addition to protein, eggs also contain many vitamins, minerals, and a fatty molecule called lecithin, which aids in transporting and metabolizing fats in the body .It is cautioned that if you do consume one egg a day, you might need to watch your total cholesterol levels since too much cholesterol could raise your LDL levels.
