In a new study, researchers found that cholesterol in eggs is linked to higher risks of heart disease and death.
When people eat more eggs, their disease and death risk can increase.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
Currently, egg consumption in the country is rising. In 2017, people ate an average of 279 eggs per year, compared with 254 eggs in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans do not offer advice on the number of eggs people should eat each day.
The guidelines, which are updated every five years, do not include this because nutrition experts had begun to believe saturated fats were the driving factor behind high cholesterol levels, rather than eggs.
However, prior to 2015, the guidelines did recommend individuals consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day.
One large egg contains nearly 200 milligrams of cholesterol, roughly the same amount as an 8-ounce steak, according to the USDA.
Other foods that contain high levels of cholesterol include processed meats, cheese, and high-fat dairy products.
To find out how cholesterol in eggs influence people’s health, the current study tracked the diets, health and lifestyle habits of nearly 30,000 adults across the country for as long as 31 years.
It found that cholesterol in eggs is linked to health risks when eaten in large quantities.
The result showed that each additional 300 milligrams of cholesterol beyond a baseline of 300 milligrams per day were linked to a 17% higher risk of heart disease and an 18% higher risk of death.
The researchers suggest that eating several eggs a week is reasonable, and eggs can provide benefit to eye and bone health.
But people should avoid eating three-egg omelets every day. Nutrition is all about moderation and balance.
One author of the study is Katherine Tucker, a biomedical and nutritional sciences professor in UMass Lowell’s Zuckerberg College of Health Sciences.
The study is published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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