Are eggs dangerous? – Finch Weston Health Centre

The simple answer—for most people, most of the time—is “No”.

Not that long ago, experts thought eating eggs increased the risk of heart disease [1]. Recent studies suggest this is not necessarily true [1, 2]. In fact, it has been determined that eggs “contain nutrients that may help lower the risk” of heart disease [2].

The website Authority Nutrition explains why eggs can have a positive effect on people’s health [3]. Here is a summary:

They contain “vitamins, minerals, high quality proteins, good fats”, and other nutrients. In fact, they contain “small amounts of almost every vitamin and mineral required by the human body”. Most of the nutrients are in the yolk.
Contrary to conventional lack-of-wisdom, “many studies show that eggs actually improve your cholesterol profile”.
Eggs contain:
- Choline, which nourishes the brain.
- Quality proteins, with a perfect amino acid profile.
- Lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients that protect the eyes.
Eggs, when eaten for breakfast, can help reduce body fat.

Notwithstanding the nutritional value of eggs, experts recommend:

If your diet is healthy, feel free to eat an egg a day. But if (a) your cholesterol is high, (b) you eat a lot of saturated fat, and (c) you avoid fruits, vegetables, and fibre — then perhaps you should not eat an egg a day [1].
If you have difficulty controlling your total and LDL cholesterol, you may wish to be careful about eating egg yolks. If you have diabetes or heart disease, eat no more than three yolks per week [2].

Note: LDL refers to “low-density lipoprotein”.

Bottom line: it’s okay to eat eggs, but do so with caution. If in doubt, consult a registered dietician, registered nutritionist, or your medical doctor.

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Tallmadge, Katherine. Eggs Don’t Deserve Their Bad Reputation, Studies Show (Op-Ed). Aug. 30, 2013. Retrieved Aug. 7, 2015.