I am commonly asked, “Will eating eggs raise my cholesterol?”. Google this question and you will immediately get 5 conflicting answers. Eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years because they are high in cholesterol (185mg per egg), but there is no conclusive link that they actually raise YOUR cholesterol. And some studies have even shown that eggs do raise your HDL cholesterol, (aka “the good kind”), and not your LDL. Most healthy adults can have 1-2 eggs a day, but if you already have high cholesterol and other risk factors like heart disease, let’s cap it at 4-5 a week. 

What if I just eat the whites? Most of the health benefits are in the yolk —iron, calcium, Vitamins D, B12, and A, so I’d rather see you limit your egg consumption than toss the yolks. I never was a fan of those cartons of egg whites in the dairy section of the grocery store–they just don’t look like a “real food” to me. Eating less red meat seems like a better option than eating only a ‘part’ of an egg.

As with any animal protein, I am a fan of pairing eggs with high fiber plants (sweet potatoes or spinach), complex carbs (quinoa), and healthy fats (avocado)— NOT sausage, bacon or ham! Or a pile of fried potatoes and buttered toast. The cholesterol level and saturated fat in those foods is not so hot either, and unlike eggs they offer little to no health benefits. So enjoy an omelet for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and just be mindful of your overall cholesterol consumption during the week.