But Eggs Will Kill Me!
In modern society whole eggs are a definite no no as everyone seems to be convinced that they will cause harm due to the large amount of cholesterol in them. Is this theory that dietary cholesterol will cause harm warranted?
In most cases dietary cholesterol is not an issue. This is because we basically have an on and off switch that decides when we have had enough cholesterol. If we take in too much then we simply do not utilize the cholesterol that we took in and if we take in too little our bodies produce their own cholesterol. In case all you budding scientific nerds are wondering what pathway this is it’s the Mevalonate pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis. Fun fact for the day!
Cholesterol is actually a very important nutrient and is in every cell membrane, it is a requirement for proper growth and development and is involved in hormone production! Eggs are also rich in selenium, vitamin A, vitamin D and the B vitamins, and some minerals.
It’s important to eat the yolk, because most of the nutrients including the cholesterol are found in the yolk. The egg whites contain some problematic substances and one in particular called lysozyme. Lysozyme’s can disrupt the integrity of the gut as they are there to protect the egg from invaders. This can lead to many different autoimmune issues stemming from the gut and most importantly why those with autoimmune issues should definitely avoid the egg white in particular!
Some studies like THIS one have pointed to the fact that reduction in LDL cholesterol has no effect on coronary heart disease in people over 70 years old.
Other studies like THIS one have shown that in the general population there is no need to maintain a reduction in cholesterol as it has no bearing in coronary heart disease and that these populations can benefit from the nutrients contained in the eggs they consume on a more regular basis.
In conclusion we think it is perfectly acceptable to consume the WHOLE egg and not just the egg white. The yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg and should be consumed regularly by healthy individuals as the benefits far exceed the supposed drawbacks from the yolks.
*Cholesterol only becomes an issue if you suffer from FH (familial hypercholesterolemia)*
