Eggs and the heart | European Heart Journal | Oxfo...

Affordable and accessible in most countries, eggs are a source of good-quality nutrients and commonly recommended as part of a healthy diet. The American Egg Board in the introductory summary on Egg Nutrition states: 'Eggs are a naturally nutrient-rich food, containing eight essential nutrients. Eggs provide an excellent source of vitamin B12, biotin (B7), iodine, selenium, and choline; a good source of high-quality protein, riboflavin (B2) and pantothenic acid (B5); as well as the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin (252 mcg), all for only 70 calories’.¹ Of note, the term 'cholesterol’ is nowhere to be found in this promotional excerpt.

Cholesterol

However, eggs are a conspicuous source of dietary cholesterol, containing more than 200 mg per large egg. Not surprisingly therefore, health benefits have been debated, and the association between egg intake and risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be scrutinized. A thorough meta-analysis, published recently, of 28 prospective studies provocatively suggested that associations between egg consumption and CVD risk were population-specific: in Asian cohorts only, but not in Western cohorts, an inverse association was observed.²