Fortified Eggs Won’t Affect Your Cholesterol Levels, a Recent Study Finds: What This Means for You
A secondary finding suggested that older individuals and those with diabetes may also benefit
When it comes to nutritional advice, eggs have long been a subject of debate. While the breakfast staple packs a protein punch, their effects on heart health remains. Are eggs good or bad for your cholesterol? A recent study led by researchers at Duke University and presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session offers some new insights, particularly regarding fortified eggs. These are eggs enriched with additional vitamins and nutrients, like those produced by Eggland’s Best, the study’s sponsor.
Findings of the fortified eggs study
The study, published on March 28, 2024, included 140 participants aged 50 or older who had either experienced a cardiac event or were at risk for cardiovascular disease due to conditions like diabetes. Participants were divided into two groups: one consumed two or fewer eggs per week, while the other ate 12 fortified eggs per week for four months.
The study found that consuming these fortified eggs had no significant effect on either “bad” cholesterol (LDL) or “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels. A secondary finding suggested that older individuals and those with diabetes may benefit from consuming fortified eggs. Though the latter was not statistically significant due to the study’s modest size, it opens the door for further investigation.
“If we can explore this area further, in a larger study, specifically focusing on the type of patients who appear to have potentially experienced some benefit, and over a longer period of time, we could see if it is possible for fortified eggs to improve cholesterol,” said senior researcher, Robert Mentz, MD, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine.
Additionally, the study noted an increase in vitamin B12 levels among those consuming the fortified eggs, which is crucial for maintaining healthy nerve cells and red blood cells, especially in older adults.
Does dietary cholesterol impact heart health?
Most people tend to directly associate dietary cholesterol with overall heart health. But according to Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, a food and nutrition expert working with Eggland’s Best, the impact of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is much smaller than previously thought.
“The body tightly regulates cholesterol production, so for most people, the cholesterol in food doesn’t significantly affect their blood cholesterol levels,” Blatner explains. Rather, most of the body’s cholesterol production comes from when we eat saturated fats and trans fats, which eggs contain little of.
While historically they’ve been viewed with caution due to their high cholesterol content, recent research has shown that eggs aren’t as harmful as once believed. In fact, for most people, dietary cholesterol from eggs has little impact on blood cholesterol. This means that including eggs, whether fortified or not, in your daily diet can be a healthy choice.
What are fortified eggs?
Fortified eggs offer enhanced nutritional benefits compared to regular eggs, thanks to the diet of the hens that produce them. Blatner explains, “Fortified eggs…have more nutrition compared to ordinary eggs because their hens are fed a wholesome, all-vegetarian diet. When hens are fed a diet rich in nutrients, their eggs contain more nutrients, too.”
She points to Eggland’s Best eggs as an example, which contain high levels of nutrients vitamin E and D, as well as more Omega-3s and B12.
How to safely include eggs in your diet
For those concerned about high cholesterol but still wanting to enjoy eggs, Blatner advises focusing on the overall pattern of the diet rather than eliminating specific foods. “Eggs can be part of a balanced diet, especially when paired with other heart-friendly foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and healthy fats,” she says.
She emphasizes that maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is more about following a balanced diet that reduces saturated fats, increases omega-3 fats and fiber and incorporates regular exercise.
So, do you have to buy fortified eggs? Only if you want to. While fortified eggs offer additional nutritional benefits, regular eggs can still be a part of a balanced and heart-healthy diet.
However, if you already have high cholesterol or other risks of heart disease, Harvard Health claims that it’s best to consume no more than four to five eggs per week. Blatner adds a word of caution: “Anyone with heart disease should still always consult their doctor about their own individual diet.”
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