Of all the foods in the breakfast brigade, one stands out as the most misunderstood: the incredible edible egg. What’s the deal with eggs, anyway? One day, researchers find they’re worse for you than cigarettes (a study, by the way, that incurred heavy criticism), and the next day, they’re being hailed as the ultimate superfood.
And here’s even more confusing egg news to add to the mix: A recent study from Yale University found that people with coronary heart disease could safely eat two whole eggs a day for six weeks without experiencing any negative consequences to their blood pressure, cholesterol, or body weight. And another study from the University of Connecticut found that adults with metabolic syndrome could eat three eggs a day when on a carb-restricted diet without any problems—and the eggs actually improved their good cholesterol.
That’s great news for omelet-vores everywhere. But has the tide officially turned in favor of eggs? Lead author of the Yale study David Katz, MD, MPH, founding director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center and Prevention advisory board member, thinks so. “Overall, the research has gone a very long way to exonerating the egg,” Dr. Katz said. “The evidence is really overwhelming that dietary cholesterol exerts minimal effects on blood cholesterol levels.” That’s important, considering that cholesterol is the main reason people tend to nix eggs from their diet.
More from Prevention: The Kindest Eggs You Can Buy
Dr. Katz’s lab has conducted several intervention studies with eggs and has yet to find harmful effects in any population he’s studied, whether in adults who are healthy, adults who have high cholesterol, or (most recently) adults who suffer from coronary heart disease: “We gave them two eggs every day for eight weeks and we saw no harmful effects there either,” Dr. Katz said.
And let’s not forget the best part of eggs: They’re ideal protein sources and super-rich in nutrients. Plus, Dr. Katz adds, they fill you up, so you might not have room for that breakfast donut or bacon after a plate of scrambled eggs.
Here’s the million-dollar question: How many eggs can we get away with eating? “I think the average person, and just about everyone who’s eating a mixed diet, could eat seven to 10 eggs a week,” Dr. Katz said. (Of course, if you’re particularly sensitive to dietary cholesterol, you should ask your doctor.)
Can’t wait to get whisking? Start with our 9 Great American Breakfasts for our favorite protein-packed egg dishes.
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