A balanced diet is essential for aging well, and certain foods can play a key role in promoting heart health.
Eggs, however, have long been viewed as potentially harmful due to their cholesterol content. But new research is challenging that notion, particularly for seniors.
Eggs Are No Longer a Heart Health Villain
For years, conventional advice warned against consuming eggs, especially for people at risk of heart disease.
This was based on the assumption that dietary cholesterol contributed significantly to high cholesterol levels.
However, experts now understand that most of the body's cholesterol is produced by the liver, influenced more by diets high in saturated fats than by cholesterol-rich foods like eggs.
Dr. Jimmy Mohamed addressed this issue on the French program Quelle époque! on February 2, stating that eggs are a “perfect food” that does not increase cholesterol levels.
He even noted that eggs can safely be eaten daily without adverse effects on heart health.
Research Shows Reduced Mortality Risk
To examine the impact of egg consumption on older adults, researchers from Australia's Monash University conducted a study on 8,756 participants over the age of 70.
Over several years of monitoring, the researchers discovered that seniors who regularly ate eggs had a 29% lower risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and a 15% reduced risk of death from all causes compared to those who rarely or never ate eggs.
Further analysis revealed that even seniors with dyslipidemia—a condition marked by excess fat in the blood—benefited from eating eggs.
According to lead researcher Dr. Holly Wild, “the risk of death related to cardiovascular disease was 27% lower for those who consumed eggs weekly compared to those who rarely or never ate them.”
Nutritional Benefits Reinforce the Findings
The study, published in Nutrients, emphasized that eggs contain essential nutrients that promote health.
In addition to being rich in protein, eggs provide B vitamins, folates, unsaturated fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins such as E, D, A, and K, along with choline and other key minerals.
As reported by Linternaute Santé, the research underscores that eggs deserve a place in a balanced diet, especially for seniors seeking to improve heart health and longevity.
