For years, people were afraid to eat too many eggs for fear of raising their cholesterol and hurting their heart health. We now know that eggs have little to no negative impact on cholesterol, but some advice still circulates recommending limited egg and cholesterol consumption—especially for those with type II diabetes.
But a new study from researchers at the University of Sydney are helping to make the connection between eggs and diabetes clearer.
12-Month Study Shows No Effect of High-Egg Diet on Diabetics
The study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that when people with pre-diabetes and type II diabetes ate up to 12 eggs each week for a year, it didn’t increase their cardiovascular risk factors.
The results can be divided into three parts:
- For the first three months, the subjects either high-egg diet (including 12 eggs per week) or a low-egg diet (including two eggs per week). During this time, no difference in cardiovascular risk was found. The subjects also aimed to maintain their current weight.
- For three more months, the subjects maintained the same egg consumption while following a weight loss diet.
- For six additional months, the subjects continued the same egg consumption and were followed up by researchers. This added up to 12 months in total.
During all stages of the process, researchers tracked many cardiovascular risk factors, including blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
The healthy diet used in the study also focused on polyunsaturated fats like olive oil and avocado in place of saturated fats like butter.
Here’s what they found: no adverse changes in cardiovascular risk markers regarding eggs and diabetes—in the high- and low-egg groups.
They also found weight loss was the same regardless of how many eggs the participants were eating.
Eggs and Diabetes: No Negative Effect on Cholesterol or the Heart
According to Dr. Nick Fuller, lead researcher of the study, the research indicates eggs don’t need to be limited as part of a healthy diet for those with prediabetes or type II diabetes.
While people with type II diabetes often have higher LDL “bad” cholesterol levels, these results show eating eggs has very little effect on cholesterol levels in the blood.
Not only that, eggs are rich in nutrition, providing a healthy source of high-quality complete protein, fat, and micronutrients like vitamin B12, vitamin A, choline, and selenium that support a healthy body.
Plus, we now know the body compensates for extra dietary cholesterol through foods by making less in the liver. This contradicts the previous and flawed belief that all dietary cholesterol is bad. Our bodies need cholesterol to create hormones, support the membranes surrounding our cells, and to continue functioning properly.
How to Choose the Best Eggs
This new information—along with previous research—shows you can enjoy as many eggs as you’d like! Just remember that the quality of eggs matter too.
The best eggs are whole and pastured from a local farm or at least organic. Pastured eggs are typically higher in omega-3s, vitamins A, D, and E, and lower in saturated fat.
Also, try to keep the yolks runny sometimes when you eat them!
Eggs are also a welcome food on the Keto Zone diet, the best weight loss diet backed by the most recent and accurate research on nutrition for a healthy, happy, purpose-driven life!
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