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A
fresh look at eggs
May 1, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
The
simple egg.
According to many recent articles, it's
making a comeback. Eggs are not the
feared cholesterol-packing orbs we've all
been instructed to shun, but little
wonders of nature that pack many of the
things we need to eat, the articles say.
What gives?
As is often the case, evolving advice
about what we should eat creates
confusion, particularly when you add the
spin put on it by the industries and
groups that stand to benefit through our
food purchases.
That's what has happened with advice
about eggs.
The American Heart Association led the
charge against the egg 30 years ago,
issuing a recommendation in 1972 that
people should limit themselves to no more
than three to four egg yolks per week to
help ensure average daily intakes of
cholesterol don't exceed 300 milligrams.
The recommendation spawned the egg
substitute industry and inspired the egg
white omelet.
The AHA has recently revised its egg
advice wording. To better understand it,
let’s talk a bit about cholesterol.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced
by our bodies and circulated in the
blood. Our bodies make all the
cholesterol we need, but the foods we eat
can also boost blood cholesterol levels.
Elevated blood cholesterol levels have
been associated with increased risk for
coronary artery disease.
But some scientists now believe that the
amounts of saturated fat and trans fat in
our diets may be more important than
dietary cholesterol in causing elevated
blood cholesterol levels. Both types of
fats stimulate our bodies to produce
cholesterol.
Most foods that are high in saturated fat
also contain cholesterol, such as red
meats, poultry, and cheese. Eggs, while a
concentrated source of cholesterol,
contain very little saturated fat.
The AHA's revised recommendation
concerning eggs takes into account the
bigger picture of what drives up blood
cholesterol levels, without focusing
solely on eggs. The group no longer makes
a recommendation about how many egg yolks
can be eaten in a week, instead advising
that people take into account the other
foods they eat if they choose to eat
eggs.
But don't consider the new advice a clean
bill of health for eggs. It's not.
The AHA still advises that healthy people
consume no more than 300 milligrams of
cholesterol a day. The average large egg
yolk contains 213 milligrams of
cholesterol, or about 71 percent of your
daily cholesterol budget.
If you have cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, or an elevated LDL or
"bad" cholesterol level, your
cholesterol budget is less than 200
milligrams per day. The cholesterol in
one large egg exceeds that limit.
A small egg contains about 157 milligrams
of cholesterol; a medium egg has about
187 milligrams.
The AHA suggests that on days when you
eat one egg, you make one or more of your
remaining meals free of meat, poultry,
and dairy products to ensure your
cholesterol level isn’t driven up by
saturated fat. Likewise, avoid foods that
contain trans fats. They can be
identified by looking on food labels for
hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated
oils.
There are many ways to minimize the
cholesterol load from eggs:
• Use egg whites in place of whole
eggs. They’re cholesterol-free. In
recipes, two whites are equal to one
whole egg.
• Use egg substitutes.
• Use small or medium eggs.
Balancing your intake of eggs and other
cholesterol-boosting foods can seem
tricky when so many traditional recipes
call for eggs. Keep in mind that eggs
often serve as binders. Many other foods
can work as well. For instance, each of
the following can replace one egg in most
recipes for baked goods:
• 1/4 cup of tofu, mashed, mixed
with the liquid ingredients in the
recipe.
• 1/2 of a mashed, ripe banana.
Especially good in recipes that lend
themselves to banana flavor, such as
pancakes and muffins.
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed
with 3 tablespoons water. Rich in
beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, too.
• 1 1/2 teaspoons EnerG Egg Replacer
mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Find this
product in natural foods stores where
baking supplies are stocked.
The AHA has dropped a simple guideline
that was easy to follow. They've put the
onus on you to track your cholesterol and
fat consumption for a heart-healthy diet.
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