Are eggs good for you? A new study and leader article addresses the topic of egg and health and brings some interesting statistics on the table.

Dietary guidelines in various countries recommends to limit egg consumption. Is there an association between egg consumption and mortality?

Are eggs good for you? Are there mortality risks?

I am sure you have heard at least once that eggs are good for you. There is no question that they have good nutrients. But are the dangers?

An Italian study, recently published in the European Journal of Nutrition shows that people who eat more eggs have an increased risk of dying prematurely from cardiovascular disease and other health problems. The data includes 20,562 participants from the Moli-sani cohort Study.

Researchers analyzed food intake and the risk of dying prematurely from various diseases, and found that those who ate more than four eggs per week (compared to those who ate one egg or less per week) increased their risk of dying prematurely by:

1. All-cause: 50% increased risk
2. Cardiovascular disease: 75% increased risk
3. Cancer: 52% increased risk

Those who ate 2-4 eggs per week also had an increased risk of dying prematurely from all causes (22% increased risk) and from cardiovascular disease (43% increased risk).

The calculations of risks were adjusted according to the participants’ education, income, housing, smoking, BMI, physical activity, and the incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood fats.

What’s the reason for the increased risk? The associations are considered to be mainly due to the increased intake of cholesterol.

2-4 eggs per week is recommended today to be the highest intake of many national dietary advice. Yet, according to this study that we just looked at, there is still a significant risk of dying prematurely while following such guidelines.

Perhaps you need to reconsider then whether eggs are really good for you.

Conclusion: Are eggs good for you?

The researchers in the study above hope that this study should be taken in consideration of changing dietary guidelines:
“Our findings suggest limiting the consumption of eggs in the diet and these results should be considered in the development of dietary guidelines and updates.”

The Journal of the American Heart Association recently wrote about cardiovascular harm from egg yolk and meat.

“There has been much controversy about the safety or harm associated with the consumption of eggs and meat… A number of articles report no harm, or even benefit, of consuming eggs and red meat. In such reports, this result may be explained wholly or in part by the low risk and young age of the participants; confounders such as smoking, socioeconomic status, and reverse causality; and unmeasured confounders.”

The Journal of the American Heart Association

That article, which is referring to many other studies concludes to say that “egg yolk and red meat should be avoided, and meat intake limited, to prevent cardiovascular disease and stroke.” They also point out that a plant‐based diet would improve the sustainability of food sources and reduce harm to the environment.

So, are eggs good for you? Based on these recommendations and study, I would say a clear no. Check also out what the China Study has to say.

You need to draw your own conclusion.

Stay healthy!