The Effect of Eggs on Cholesterol

Maintaining a low cholesterol level is important for a healthy life and especially to prevent plaque buildup in the arteries that can lead to a heart attack. Your healthy cholesterol level depends on the food you eat, and eggs are a nutritious food.

Considerations

• For good health, the American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. Mayo Clinic cardiologist Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., suggests 200 milligrams for people with high LDL cholesterol, cardiovascular disease or diabetes. However, Dr. Behrenbeck also questions the "extent to which dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels." He says, "Many scientists believe that saturated fats and trans fats have a greater impact than does dietary cholesterol in raising blood cholesterol."

Cholesterol in Eggs

• One egg contains 213 milligrams of cholesterol. That means one egg contains almost all of the cholesterol recommended for a healthy diet.

Benefts of Eggs

• Although high in cholesterol, eggs also contain nutrients that are good for the body, such as vitamin B12, protein, vitamin D and selenium. Eggs are also low in saturated fat and calories, and have no trans fats.

Alternatives

• To enjoy eggs without the cholesterol, use only the egg whites (all of the cholesterol is contained in the yolk) or egg substitutes.

Recommendation

• The American Heart Association says one egg per day is fine if you avoid other high cholesterol foods in your diet.