Question: I just found out that my cholesterol is high. Do I need to stop eating eggs?
Answer: First, a little about cholesterol and what it is. Cholesterol is essential to the body. It is the parent molecule of some very important hormones and also of vitamin D. Most people don’t know that the majority of cholesterol is made in your body, by the liver. The body has a reciprocal relationship with cholesterol. If you take in more from your diet, the liver makes less. If you eat less, the liver makes more. It is almost impossible to outsmart the body because of this protective mechanism.
Second, dietary cholesterol, like the type found in egg yolks, has little effect on serum cholesterol (the kind measured by blood tests). The chairman of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Walter Willett, is quoted in the book, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, as saying, “No research had ever shown that people who eat more eggs have more heart attacks than people who eat few eggs.”
Nationally respected endocrinologist Dr. Diana Schwarzbein writes in her book, The Schwarzbein Principle, “You can eat eggs every day, as many as your body wants.” Brown University cardiologist Dr. Barbara Roberts, who has published extensively in medical journals and directs the Women’s Cardiac Center in Rhode Island, writes in her book, The Truth about Statins, “My patients are amazed and often delighted when I tell them that they can eat all the … eggs they want. Why? Because eating pure cholesterol doesn’t raise your cholesterol to any appreciable degree.”
To take this well-supported argument one step further, consider what researchers from the Egg Nutrition Center have to say (yes, they are funded by the American Egg Board, but their research is overseen by the USDA and is considered reputable) in their publication, Cholesterol: What Does the Science Say?: “What many scientists consider important is the blood levels of small, dense LDL cholesterol particles, because these small, dense LDL cholesterol particles are a well-defined risk factor for heart disease. Research has shown egg intake decreases [italics mine] levels of small, dense LDL particles. In fact, countries with the highest egg consumption report some of the lowest incidence of heart disease.”
Keep in mind that eggs are an inexpensive, all-around nutritious food. They are considered a perfect source of protein, because they contain all nine essential amino acids. They also contain choline, essential for cardiovascular health. In fact, choline helps our cell membranes make phosphatidycholine, an important substance that prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in the liver.
So, taken together, the evidence strongly suggests that keeping eggs a regular part of your diet – even one to three eggs daily – will not have a negative impact on your blood cholesterol levels. Scramble away!
Here are two delicious egg recipes adapted from incredibleegg.org, which can be used for Pesach and year round.
Broccoli and Cheddar Omelet
This omelet recipe is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A dish doesn’t get any more versatile. For Pesach, pair with potatoes, sweet potatoes, or a fruit salad. A vegetable soup would be nice also.
2 eggs
2 T. water
cooking spray
1/3 c. cooked broccoli florets
2 T. finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 – 4 T. salsa, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Beat eggs and water until blended. Coat a 6- to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Pour in egg mixture. Mixture should set immediately at edges. Gently push cooked portions from edges towards the center with a spatula, so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. Continue cooking, tilting pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed. When top surface of eggs is thickened and no visible liquid egg remains, place broccoli and cheese on one side of the omelet. Add optional salsa. Fold omelet in half with spatula. With a quick flip of the wrist, turn pan and invert or slide omelet onto plate. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Hint: have two pans going at the same time if you are cooking for a group.
Broccoli-Cheddar Frittata
Here’s a recipe that uses similar ingredients in different amounts to create a frittata, which is essentially an omelet that, instead of having the filling folded into the cooked egg mixture, has it all mixed together. According to About.com Home Cooking, frittatas use ingredients in a “mishmash combination all at once,” and are usually served at room temperature.
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli
1 small carrot, diced, optional
1/4 c. water
8 eggs
1/4 c. milk
1/2 – 1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz.)
Combine broccoli, carrot, and water in 10-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally to break up broccoli, about 10 minutes; drain well. Beat eggs, milk, onion powder, salt, and pepper in large bowl until blended. Add broccoli mixture and cheese; mix well. Coat same skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat until hot. Pour in egg mixture. Cook over low to medium heat until eggs are almost set, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until eggs are completely set and no visible liquid egg remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Lauren Mirkin, CNS, LDN, LCPC, is a licensed nutritionist and professional counselor. She provides nutritional counseling at the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center at Green Spring Station. Contact her at 443-326-702
