Why eggs are good for you

Eggs don’t always get the best rap. Nutritionally misunderstood, over the years there’s been a lot of bad information and confusion over how many you should eat.

But thankfully, today we know that eggs are packed full of health benefits, and fine to regularly consume alongside a healthy diet.

But what are these benefits, and how many eggs can you eat?

Eating eggs every day was once considered unhealthy, in large part because of the cholesterol and fat that they contain.

It was thought that eggs, specifically their yolks, contributed to the clogging of arteries, negatively affecting your heart health as a result. Worries about the cholesterol in eggs even kept some people from eating them altogether.

But these criticisms, we now know, were unfounded.

According to the Heart Foundation, for most people eggs have a neutral impact on heart health. Meaning, they neither increase nor decrease your risk of heart disease.¹

Research has shed much light on how our bodies react to the components of an egg. And, as Bupa Dietitian Jacqueline Li explains, “The cholesterol we obtain through food (like eggs) actually has little impact on our blood cholesterol.”

“The biggest nutrition-related factor that can increase LDL cholesterol [low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’] is a high intake of foods high in saturated and trans-fat, such as excess red meat, processed meats, butter, full cream dairy, baked and fried foods, as well as coconut products like coconut milk, cream and oil,” says Li.

So, if eggs aren’t full of the negative things we once feared, what do they contain?

“An egg packs in a whole lot of nutrients for its humble size,” says Li. “Some of the main nutrients include protein, heart healthy fats, [and] vitamins A, D, E and B12, all of which are important for general health and wellbeing.”

According to Li, you should really be paying more attention to what you’re eating the eggs with, rather than the eggs themselves.

“Good nutrition is rarely about any one food in isolation, but rather eating patterns as a whole. So, eating eggs alongside foods such as processed meats like sausages and bacon may not be as heart healthy.”

Thankfully, eggs are one of the simplest foods to include in a healthy diet, whether boiled, poached, sunny side up or in a shakshuka. The choice is yours.

You’ll often find the humble yolk at the centre of the egg myth. But that yolk we used to avoid may actually be the part that provides the greatest benefits of all.

“It’s arguably the most nutritious part of the egg,” says Li, “providing you with the majority of the omega-3 and fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E, K and B.”

For those with pre-existing conditions like high LDL cholesterol, type 2 diabetes or existing heart disease, the Heart Foundation recommends eating a maximum of 7 eggs a week.¹

For those who don’t have one of those conditions, the Heart Foundation have not set a limit on the amount of eggs you can eat, so long as they’re part of a healthy eating pattern.

“For the general population, the emphasis isn’t so much on how many eggs are allowed, but rather focusing on healthy eating patterns overall and enjoying eggs as part of a well-balanced diet,” Li says. “Such as increasing vegetable intake and limiting foods high in saturated fat, added sugars and salt.”