Eggs are one of the richest sources of energy and protein and no wonder they are a favourite of those who follow a high-protein weight loss diet. They are a rich source of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper.
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Considered to be ideal for growing children, athletes, sportspersons and those recovering from ailments, eggs are a complete food.
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But there is a controversy surrounding the presence of cholesterol in eggs. Doctors recommend that one should not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol daily and eggs contain 373 mg of cholesterol. So, should heart patients shun eggs completely?
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The controversy about whether eggs are good or bad for heart health may be solved, as researchers have found that eating an egg a day is not linked to the risk of heart diseases.
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The study from McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found the answer by analysing data from three large, long-term multinational studies.
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"Moderate egg intake, which is about one egg per day in most people, does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or mortality even if people have a history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes," said study first author Mahshid Dehghan from McMaster University in Canada.
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"Also, no association was found between egg intake and blood cholesterol, its components or other risk factors. These results are robust and widely applicable to both healthy individuals and those with vascular disease," Dehghan added.
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Although eggs are an inexpensive source of essential nutrients, some guidelines have recommended limiting consumption to fewer than three eggs a week due to concerns they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Previous studies on egg consumption and diseases have been contradictory, according to the researchers.
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For the findings, the researchers analysed three international studies conducted by the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI). Egg consumption of 146,011 individuals from 21 countries was recorded in the PURE study and in 31,544 patients with vascular disease from the ONTARGET and the TRANSEND studies.
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The data from these three studies involved populations from 50 countries spanning six continents at different income levels, so the results are widely applicable, said the researchers.
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The results suggest there is no harm from consuming eggs. Given that the majority of individuals in the study consumed one or fewer eggs per day, it would be safe to consume this level, the researchers said.
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"This is because most of these studies were relatively small or moderate in size and did not include individuals from a large number of countries," said study researcher Salim Yusuf.
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