Eggs do not harm your health

UK health and heart organisations have lifted the limits on eggs as research concludes that there is no evidence linking their consumption with heart disease.

Nearly half (45%) of the UK public believe they should be eating a maximum of three eggs a week – but the new paper discusses decades of evidence, concluding that the cholesterol in eggs has only a small and clinically insignificant effect on blood cholesterol and that there is no recommended limit on egg consumption for most people.

The paper, published this week in the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin, reveals that the misconceptions around eggs and cholesterol largely stem from incorrect conclusions drawn from early research.

Later studies have been able to separate the cholesterol-raising effects of dietary cholesterol from saturated fat, which often exist together in the same foods.

Eggs are not high in saturated fat.

This evidence has led to major world and UK health organisations revising their guidance, including the British Heart Foundation which has dispensed with its recommendation limiting eggs to 3-4 a week, although people with familial hypercholesterolaemia (1 in 500 in the UK) would still be advised to restrict dietary cholesterol intake.

The Food Standards Agency also advises that most people don't need to limit how many eggs they have, if they are eating a balanced diet.

The American Heart Association has also removed specific reference to eggs in their dietary recommendations for heart health.

Cath MacDonald, Nutritionist for the British Egg Information Service. said: "Eggs should now move from a food that is restricted to one that is proactively recommended as part of a healthy diet. Eggs are a relatively inexpensive source of nutrition for all and emerging evidence suggests their high protein content could even help with weight loss."

Research published in 2008 showed that people who ate two eggs per day, while on a calorie-restricted diet, not only lost weight but also reduced their blood cholesterol levels.

Words: Clare Riley

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