Got High Cholesterol? Eat More Eggs!

If you're worried about high cholesterol you should eat eggs sparingly, right?

Wrong! A new study recently conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut has come up with the eggciting news that eggs actually improve both ldl and hdl cholesterol and therefore lower the risks of having a heart attack or stroke.

Christine M. Greene, the lead researcher for the study reported that when people ate three or more eggs per day their cholesterol changed from having an affinity for creating arterial plaque to becoming "anti-atherogenic."

In laymen's terms this means that the cholesterol of egg eaters was transformed from having artery clogging tendencies into a guardian angel that actually removes cholesterol from the artery wall.

You would think that this good news would receive far more notice than it has so far.

Here's how it works. For decades we've had it drummed into our minds and hearts that high cholesterol causes heart attacks...but "It ain't necessarily so."

Most people are unaware that about 80% of heart attack victims have the same cholesterol values as those who do not develop heart disease.

In the early 1990's Berkeley Heart Lab researchers in California set their sights on finding the answer to this puzzle.

With the aid of new technology these scientists conducted ground breaking research that allowed them to learn about the microscopic makeup of cholesterol "particles."

They found that small dense cholesterol particles, which they labeled APO B, easily enter the artery walls to create a plaque that leads to a heart stopping clot. Large buoyant particles known as APO A1 flow freely and actually reverse this process.

In a nutshell the higher the percentage of large buoyant particles you have in relation to the small dense particles the lower will be your risk of heart disease.

This was confirmed by the Interheart Study which was reported in August 2004. This major global study that looked at more than 29,000 persons in 52 found that the number one risk of heart disease is a poor ratio of APO B to APO A1.

Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneration and lower risk of cataracts, due to the high content of lutein and Zeaxanthin. These nutrients, known as carotenoids, are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids. They are a good source of choline which is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

Eggs are one of the few foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D and in one study, women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%.

Deficiencies in the abundant nutrients from eggs have been associated with increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

The incredible edible egg™ slogan has been proven to be true. Our forefathers were right on target when they consumed plenty of eggs. It's about time that science came around.