Eggs have a mixed reputation when it comes to heart health. However, new research presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session suggests that eggs may not be bad for the heart and may even have potential to benefit heart health.
The study included 140 participants who were at high risk of developing heart disease. The participants were all at least 50 years old, and all had either experienced a prior cardiovascular event or had two cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, elevated BMI, or diabetes. Participants were divided into two groups; one group was assigned to eat 12 fortified eggs per week, while the other group was assigned to eat two or fewer eggs per week. The study lasted four months, and at the end of the study the participants had health measurements taken such as HDL and LDL cholesterol, lipid levels, inflammatory biomarkers, and levels of certain vitamins and minerals. The goal of the study was to see how egg consumption may affect heart health and whether eggs are safe to consume for people who are at higher risk of heart disease.
The results showed that both HDL and LDL cholesterol were reduced in the group who ate 12 eggs per week, but the reductions were not statistically significant. Other health markers, such as total cholesterol and inflammatory biomarkers, also improved slightly, although the differences were again not statistically significant.
While the results of the study were neutral in terms of changes in heart health, the authors noted that this information is still important because it shows that egg consumption is not bad for the heart. Regularly eating eggs did not appear to negatively affect cholesterol or other heart health markers, even in a high-risk group. These results suggest that eggs are a fine dietary choice for the heart, although consumers should still be aware of less healthy choices that tend to accompany eggs, such as butter and processed meats.
Sources: ACC, Science Daily
