For many years, studies have been piling up on eggs. Some defend their nutritional value, while others emphasize their high cholesterol level. Why Doctor takes stock.
8 out of 10 French people eat eggs at least once a week, according to the egg interprofession (CNPO). Regularly, scientific studies cast doubt on the nutritional benefits of this product. It would however be good for health, if it is consumed without excess.
Dietary cholesterol: safe for health?
In The Big Book of our food, published by Odile Jacob, several scientists dissect received ideas about what we eat. The egg is no exception, according to them it is “one of the best foods in terms of nutritional value”. It contains the most important amino acids for health, and provides many vitamins including A, D, K and E, as well as B2, B5, B8 and B12. Yet the egg has the highest cholesterol of all foods.
If it is a large egg, it can reach 186 milligrams in the yolk. For the authors, the cholesterol provided by food has little influence on cholesterolemia. The human body would be able to synthesize 3/4 of it. On the other hand, an unbalanced diet, rich in saturated fats, has an indecency on the human cholesterol level. One condition is necessary for eggs to be nutritionally interesting: the chicken’s diet must be natural and rich in omega-3.
Egg yolks, useful for the brain
When CNPO annual conference, a nutritionist confirmed these remarks. For her, both yellow and white are good for health. “Egg yolk phospholipids have emulsifying properties that are very useful in the brain, she explains, because they are part of the composition of cell membranes, among other things, neurons. The yolk also contains omega 9, omega 6 and sometimes even omega 3, when the hen’s diet is enriched”.
A varied and balanced diet
In 2012, Canadian researchers estimated that consuming too many egg yolks would have as negative an impact as smoking on arterial health. The study carried out on 1,200 patients concluded that consumption of more than 3 eggs per week increased the risk of atherosclerosis. People with cardiovascular risks should avoid excesses when it comes to eggs, according to scientists.
The egg and its yolk have therefore not ceased to fascinate scientists, but these studies remind us of the importance of adopting a varied and balanced diet, and low in processed products to preserve one’s health.
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