The following will be very good news to many who feel bad about enjoying the “guilty pleasure” of indulging in a (gasp) EGG!

FEAR THE EGG!

                                                                                                                 Ovophobia – yes, it’s a real thing.

We all have been taught at some point in our life to fear the egg, for it possess cholesterol and fat, and thus leads to an increased of risk of heart disease. The common perception among registered dieticians and medical practitioners is that eggs are to be avoided, fearing that it will increase your cholesterol. Yet there has been little research to support the notion that consuming eggs actually has any negative side effects.

Some scientists and nutrition experts believe, with good reason, that eggs in fact are an excellent source of nutrition, and are perfectly healthy.

Consider the following recent study:

Gisella Mutungi, et al. Dietary Cholesterol from Eggs Increases Plasma HDL Cholesterol in Overweight Men Consuming a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet. American Society of Nutrition. 2008

Researchers from U Conn looked at the effects of Overweight males on a low carb diet consuming eggs and its effects on cholesterol. One group consumed 3 whole eggs per day, and the other consumed an “egg substitute”. Both groups lost weight, lowered triglycerides, and lowered waist circumference. However, the group eating the eggs actually increased good, heart healthy cholesterol – HDL, and showed no increase in “bad” cholesterol, LDL. The no-egg group showed no change in cholesterol (good or bad).

So it seems like the fear of eggs increasing bad cholesterol is unfounded, and in fact, it may actually have the opposite effect on heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Banned No More?

We need to reconsider suggestions given in absolutes (fat is bad, cholesterol is bad) and realized that there is a little more to the story. At least, that is what the evidence keeps telling us.

It is a struggle when the list of “foods you can’t eat” keeps getting bigger. Perhaps we can reconsider our fear of eggs, and take them off the unhealthy list.

If you are ready to discard more nutrition myths and get real science based solutions to improve your health, click here.