Review of studies from past 30 years reveals that eggs can be a part of a healthy diet

A newly published review of research on dietary cholesterol and coronary heart disease supports the beneficial role of eggs in a healthy diet. The review, published in the March 2006 issue of the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin, examines more than 30 studies conducted over the past 30 years (with more than half published in the past decade) and concludes that the dietary cholesterol in eggs "has no clinically significant impact" on coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.

Among the studies cited is a Harvard study that included more than a hundred thousand subjects and found no significant difference in cardiovascular disease risk between groups consuming less than one egg per day and those consuming more than one egg per day. The original study authors concluded that, "consumption of up to one egg per day is unlikely to have substantial overall impact on the risk of CHD or stroke among healthy men and women."

More importantly, the authors, Dr. Bruce Griffin and Dr. A. Lee of the Centre for Nutrition & Food Safety, School of Biomedical & Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, UK, stated, "to view eggs solely in terms of the effects of their dietary cholesterol… is to ignore the potential benefits of egg consumption on coronary risk factors, including obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome."

Eggs are naturally nutrient rich. One egg provides 13 essential nutrients -- including high quality protein, choline, folate, iron and zinc -- for only about 75 calories. Experts recommend choosing nutrient dense foods, such as eggs, to help get needed nutrients without excess calories.

Media enquiries: Peter La, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: 01483 689191 E-mail: p.la@surrey.ac.uk