Eggs and Cholesterol

Research shows that eggs have little to no effect on cholesterol for most healthy people. The main villains affecting blood cholesterol are saturated and trans fatty acids. You might like to know that one serve (2 large eggs) contains around 10.3 grams of fat, two thirds of which is the healthy, unsaturated type.

So, what is cholesterol, and how can you manage it?

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy type of fat that is needed by the body to make cell walls, hormones, bile acids and vitamin D. There are two forms of cholesterol:

1. Dietary Cholesterol

Dietary cholesterol is found in foods of animal origin like meat, dairy products, seafood and eggs. When we eat cholesterol from food, the body absorbs it and it goes into the bloodstream. It is then transported around the body and delivered to the places where it is needed.

2. Blood Cholesterol

Cholesterol that is found in the bloodstream comes from either the food we eat or from cholesterol that is made by the liver. If we eat cholesterol from food, our body maintains the right balance in the bloodstream by telling the liver to make less.
High blood cholesterol

If the body can’t balance the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream then the level can become too high. When there is too much cholesterol in the blood, it can build up on the inside of the blood vessel walls making it harder for blood to flow. Eventually, the blood vessels can become blocked and this can lead to heart problems.

High blood cholesterol levels can be identified by a blood test ordered by your doctor. The National Heart Foundation of Australia recommends that adults have their cholesterol levels checked at least every five years. Those at high risk should be tested every year.
What causes high cholesterol?

There is no one cause of high blood cholesterol: both genetic and lifestyle factors play a part. Lifestyle factors that increase blood cholesterol include being overweight and eating too much saturated fat. While many people think eating too much dietary cholesterol can lead to increased blood cholesterol, recent research shows cholesterol from food has very little effect on blood cholesterol levels.

How do you manage cholesterol?

Cholesterol is best managed by a combination of healthy eating and regular activity. People who have high levels of blood cholesterol may also need to take medication as recommended by their general practitioner.

Healthy eating

A healthy eating plan is essential to keep cholesterol levels in check. The following tips are recommended:

Minimise saturated fat

Cut down on biscuits, pastries, greasy takeaways, sausages, salami, full cream milk and cheese. 

Manage your weight

If overweight, reducing body weight helps manage blood cholesterol levels.
Eat the right types and amount of fats
Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help keep blood cholesterol levels healthy. 
Eat the right types and amount of fibre
Eating certain types of fibre can help manage the level of cholesterol in the blood. Plenty of fruit, vegetables, legumes and wholegrains are recommended.
Include soy foods
Soy foods like soy milk, soybeans and soy and linseed bread help manage cholesterol levels.

A recent survey showed that more than 50% of doctors incorrectly believe that dietary cholesterol has a moderate to significant effect on serum cholesterol levels.

There are certain groups in the population, like those with diabetes, hyper-responders of dietary cholesterol and those with hyperlipidemia for whom more research is needed so that recommendations can be made as to how many eggs can be incorporated into different diets.

However, prudent advice based on the literature is that 3-4 eggs per week as a part of a balanced diet is not associated with increased risk.