Eggs without significant effect on human serum cholesterol concentrations

Abstract

Food labeling guidelines have now extended the National Cholesterol Education Program recommendations for limiting dietary fat and cholesterol to the general U.S. population more than 2 years of age. In addition to limiting total fat to 30% of energy intake and saturated fat to 10% of energy intake, cholesterol is limited to 300 mg/day. Thus menus of schools, hospitals, and long-term care facilities typically provide clients fewer than 4 egg yolks per week, despite the high quality protein and nutrient density of whole eggs. This study was designed to determine if there were significant adverse effects on serum cholesterol of including 12 modified eggs per week in a low-fat diet of free-living adults with inital serum total cholesterol concentrations of 5.17–7.76 mmol/l (200–300 mg/dl). Hens fed a controlled ration produced modified eggs that consistently contained significantly more vitamin E and iodine than generic eggs, with the same amount of fat and cholesterol. Subjects were randomly assigned to and then counseled in a low-fat diet including either no whole eggs (N=49, 32 women) or 12 whole modified eggs (N=47, 29 women) a week for 6 weeks. Both groups reduced their serum total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol concentrations, and there were no significant differences between the group means of these variables at any study time point. The study had statistical power sufficient to detect the expected differences. We conclude that 12 modified eggs per week, consumed as part of a low-fat diet for 6 weeks, did not adversely affect serum cholesterol levels of free-living, middle aged hypercholesterolemic individuals. Such eggs may provide increased flexibility for planning menus in institutional settings.