Eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years. Although this versatile food is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals, the cholesterol and fat in eggs have put them on the naughty list for people worried about cardiovascular disease. But a study published in the May 2018 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concludes that a diet high in eggs poses no cardiovascular risk, even in people with type 2 diabetes.    

Researchers at the University of Sydney’s Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders conducted the study, which involved 128 participants aged 18 or older with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. The participants were divided into two groups. Both were on weight-loss diets, but one group ate 12 eggs a week while the other group ate fewer than two eggs per week. After one year, the researchers found no significant difference between the groups when it came to weight loss, blood glucose levels, inflammation markers or cardiovascular risk factors. 

The study concluded that egg consumption has little effect on cholesterol levels overall, and that the general population, including individuals with type 2 diabetes, can eat a diet high in eggs without increasing their risk of adverse cardiovascular effects.

For more information about how to eat for better health, contact Heriberto Cruz Guzmán, a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in human nutrition and dietetics. He is currently working as a clinical dietitian in the nephrology, neuroscience and surgery units at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola. Email him at HeribertoCruz55@ gmail.com.