Eggs are good for you. Yes, even the yolk, says this study

We’ve been told that eggs are good for our health, but there’s always been some conflicting info on it. While some nutritionists ask you to skip the yolks, others want you to include it in moderation. Now, according to a recent study, eating up to 12 eggs per week for a year did not raise cardiovascular risk among patients with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

This research done by the University Of Sydney builds on a previous study with similar findings.

Method for the study

In the initial trial of the University of Sydney research, the participants aimed to maintain their weight while embarking on a high-egg (12 eggs per week) or low-egg (less than two eggs per week) diet, with no difference in cardiovascular risk markers identified at the end of three months.

The same participants then embarked on a weight loss diet for an additional three months, while continuing their high or low egg consumption. For a further six months - up to 12 months in total - participants were followed up by researchers and continued their high or low egg intake.

At all stages, both groups showed no adverse changes in cardiovascular risk markers and achieved equivalent weight loss - regardless of their level of egg consumption, lead researcher Nick Fuller explained.

The findings

“Despite differing advice around safe levels of egg consumption for people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, our research indicates people do not need to hold back from eating eggs if this is part of a healthy diet,” Fuller said. “A healthy diet as prescribed in this study emphasised replacing saturated fats (such as butter) with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (such as avocado and olive oil),” he added.

“Eggs are a source of protein and micronutrients that could support a range of health and dietary factors including helping to regulate the intake of fat and carbohydrate, eye and heart health, healthy blood vessels and healthy pregnancies.”

So, what’s the final word?

Eggs are one of the healthiest foods around. They are nutrient dense, which means they are filled with lots of different groups of nutrients such as Vitamin D, Vitamin A and Vitamin B12. So, feel free to eat eggs, but make sure the preparation is healthy.