Have you been avoiding eggs because of concerns about cholesterol? It’s time to break away from old beliefs and put eggs back on your plate! Research shows that dietary cholesterol, like what’s in eggs, has very little effect on your blood cholesterol levels. It’s more important to maintain a healthy body weight and waist circumference, be physically active and smoke-free, and choose foods low in saturated fatA type of fat that is solid at room temperature. Saturated fat is found in high-fat dairy products (like cheese, whole milk, cream, butter, and regular ice cream), ready-to-eat meats, the skin and fat of chicken and turkey, lard, palm oil, and coconut oil. Saturated fat has the same number of calories as other types of fat, and may contribute to weight gain if eaten in excess. Eating a diet high in saturated fat also raises blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease. and with no trans fatA type of fat that is produced when liquid fat (oil) is turned into solid fat through a chemical process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenated fat is a common ingredient in commercially-prepared baked goods, such as cookies and crackers, and in fried foods, such as doughnuts and French fries. Eating a diet high in trans fatty acids raises blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease..
Eggs can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet. One large egg contains 195 mg of cholesterol, only 1.5 grams of saturated fat, no trans fat, and only 70 calories per egg. Talk to your doctor today about how eggs can be part of your daily menu.
Health Canada’s Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Health Check™ program both include eggs as part of a balanced diet, without specifying any limit. Furthermore, Health Canada does not specify a daily Adequate Intake or Recommended Dietary Amount for dietary cholesterol.
