- With Mayo Clinic nutritionists
Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
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Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
Katherine Zeratsky and Jennifer Nelson
Jennifer K. Nelson, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.N.S.D.
Jennifer Nelson is your link to a better diet. As specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, she plays a vital role in bringing you healthy recipes and meal planning."Nutrition is one way people have direct control over the quality of their lives," she says. "I hope to translate the science of nutrition into ways that people can select and prepare great-tasting foods that help maintain health and treat disease."
A St. Paul, Minn., native, she has been with Mayo Clinic since 1978, and is director of clinical dietetics and an associate professor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
She leads clinical nutrition efforts for a staff of more than 60 clinical dietitians and nine dietetic technicians and oversees nutrition services, staffing, strategic and financial planning, and quality improvement. Nelson was co-editor of the "Mayo Clinic Diet" and the James Beard Foundation Award-winning "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook." She has been a contributing author to and reviewer of many other Mayo Clinic books, including "Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for EveryBody," "The Mayo Clinic Family Health Book" and "The Mayo Clinic/Williams Sonoma Cookbook." She contributes to the strategic direction of the Food & Nutrition Center, which includes creating recipes and menus, reviewing nutrition content of various articles, and providing expert answers to nutrition questions.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor of the nutrition and healthy eating guide, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She's active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in wellness nutrition at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and nutrition related to weight management and practical applications of nutrition-related lifestyle changes.
Other areas of interest include food and nutrition for all life stages, active lifestyles and the culinary arts.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Nutrition-wise blog
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Sept. 19, 2012
Eggs and heart disease — still controversial
By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
If you're like most people, you're not too concerned about the cholesterol in your diet and your risk of heart disease. However, some researchers suggest it's time to reopen the discussion on eggs and heart disease. A recent study published in the medical journal "Atherosclerosis" found that egg yolk consumption appears to damage and thicken the arteries, almost to the same degree as smoking.
The study looked at egg yolk consumption in about 1,200 people with a history of transient ischemic attacks (small strokes where symptoms disappear). It found that those who ate three or more yolks a week had significant amounts of plaque build-up compared with those who ate two or fewer yolks a week.
Narrowing of the arteries was on average about two-thirds of that seen in studies of heavy smokers — a finding that both eggs and smoking accelerate plaque build-up. These findings remained after adjusting for other coronary risk factors such as of gender, blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body mass index, diabetes and smoking.
Although three or more yolks a week significantly increased plaque build-up in people already at risk for heart disease in this study, other studies have shown that eggs (specifically the cholesterol in yolks) do not have adverse effect on blood lipids and that yolks contain antioxidants which may be protective.
What is my take?
- The yolk of one large egg has about 185 milligrams (mg) cholesterol — one of the most concentrated sources of cholesterol.
- Current recommendations from the American Heart Association are that Americans eat less that 300 mg daily to help maintain normal cholesterol levels. Consuming less than 200 mg of cholesterol daily can further help individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans found that the average cholesterol intake among men is about 350 mg a day and among women it's 240 mg a day.
- The Dietary Guidelines also state that egg and egg dishes contribute a whopping 25 percent of our cholesterol intake.
What's the take-home message? Although eggs don't seem to be associated with heart disease risk in healthy people, the same is not true for people already at risk of heart disease. You should know your risk for heart disease. If you're at risk, you're better off eating fewer yolks. If you're not at risk, you should still be sensible about cholesterol intake, especially when there are so many healthy food choices available.
Opinions are welcome!
- Jennifer
18 comments posted
April 4, 2013 4:28 p.m.
I am hoping that my organic farm eggs from my backyard chickens are much better for me than the white, anemic looking ones from the store.
- Marlene
January 27, 2013 3:27 p.m.
The Huffington article is very good and I'd also recommend it. This article is just more bad science and advice from the Mayo nutritionists who consistently advise that substances that have only been part of the human diet for about 60 years are healthier than ones than ones that have been part of human diets for hundred of thousands of years.
- Peter
October 28, 2012 11:38 p.m.
I recommend reading these articles and judging for yourself. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-jonny-bowden
/egg-yolks-health_b_1838075.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-katz-md/e ggs-health_b_1818209.html - Jim
October 16, 2012 4:00 p.m.
Age 60 just had results of TC 8.3. Previously treated with simvastatin to 5.3. Then told by biochemist not necessary as HDL /lDL ratio good so I tried no drug for a year. I eat 5 eggs most weeks otherwise good low fat diet. I have just been told low fat diets don't work as the body compensates. My experience may support this. I am still confused and wonder if with no symptoms Apparently healthy. Am I described as with or without heart disease?? BP12o/70 Answeres appreciated
- Annie
October 4, 2012 5:10 p.m.
Totally agree with the last paragraph of this article.
- Grace
September 29, 2012 4:15 a.m.
It is no much controversy, ones study says "yes" to eggs, another says "NOT". I think it is wise to explain the composition of the egg yolk: cholesterol. This cholesterol is essential to us for all the vital functions on our body. This cholesterol is friendly, as long as we don't break the yolk, it is then when the cholesterol get bad. When we break the yolk we let the oxygen from the air to oxidize the good cholesterol, this oxidized cholesterol damage our arteries, as a preamble to atherosclerosis. There are to complete nutrients, ones is the mother's milk (just when we are babies), and the other is the egg. We can eat the eggs hard boiled or poached as the yolk is solid and cannot absorb oxygen, if we like omelettes, once you break the yolk cook it immediately to minimize the exposure time. Gemma Gath RNCP
- Gemma
September 29, 2012 4:06 a.m.
Gee, the comments are much more interesting than the article itself!
- Jack
September 29, 2012 3:58 a.m.
Everyone's body is different. For example, I know whole eggs do not raise cholesterol in my body. How? My chol. level was 281 and my doc recommended a 2-wk. Fat Flush (known as PhaseI of the Fat Flush). After 2 wks. of eating 3 eggs every 2 days (along with many other foods), my total chol. level went down 68 points to 213, and it has stayed down for 4 years. You may want to try it (under a doctor's care) if you need to get your chol. down quickly. Worked for me.
- Kathryn
September 28, 2012 12:14 p.m.
It disturbs me that when a research study is cited, age, gender,race, athletic activity, normal or overweight variables are NOT factored in!! I want a research study with- for example: 60 to 75 year old caucasian men who have never smoked/drank alcohol, have run at least 5 miles daily for at least 1/2 of their life. AND are heterosexual!! Am I asking toooo much? I fit the above variables and would be "honored" to be a part of such a study
- Andre
September 27, 2012 11:43 a.m.
How come with all this discussion of heart disease there is nothing on vitamin K2? Vitamin K2 seems to help remove calcium from the arteries and help deposit it in the bones.
- Joyce
September 27, 2012 9:34 a.m.
So what about it, Mayo professionals? There is much controversy about cholesterol and eggs, especially with this study, yet you let this (mis)information continue to be spread, creating more confusion about eggs, yet no comments from the authors of this "headline" article? Please post more reliable and accurate study results that are more in line with the reputaion of Mayo before people stop trusting your opinions in the medical and health fields. After all, if we can't trust Mayo, who can we trust?
- Lisa
September 26, 2012 8:26 p.m.
What about the MIT study that says just the opposite, we don't eat enough cholesterol? Why mention one study and not the other? Let's hear about the MIT study ok.
- Duane
September 26, 2012 4:25 p.m.
In grocery stores in Canada eggs labeled "OMEGA 3" are judged to be cholesterol free as hens fed flax produce cholesterol free eggs. Do your studies make no allowance for this distinction? Assuming eggs labelled "OMEGA 3" contain no cholesterol a couple each morning should be a heart healthy breakfast. Just don't add several strips of bacon and well buttered toast I suppose. I regularly eat 3 or 4 eggs per week and my annual checkup shows my HDL/LDL and total cholesterol at healthy levels. By the way I'm 80 years of age, 6 feet 3 inches tall and weigh 225 pounds.
- Garth
September 26, 2012 4:17 p.m.
I EAT A PAIR OF EGGS FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS, AND MY CHOLESTEROL LEVELS ARE NORMAL MAY BE THAT A GENNETIC CAUSE ARE PRESENT IN PEOPLE WHO HAS RISE IN THE CHOLESTEROL PERHAPS IS NECCESARY A RESEARCH BY THIS WAY.
- ENRIQUE
September 26, 2012 3:44 p.m.
But how reliable is the new study that equated egg yolk consumption to smoking?? It asked people to remember their egg consumption over YEARS...plus people generally self report the servings and/or serving size WRONG. How about a real study?
- Laura
September 26, 2012 3:39 p.m.
Next week it will be something else so just eat in moderation if you don't have heart disease. I'm at the age if something happens to me and we have the new health care I will be one they won't do anything for so I'll just eat as I always have.
- Ferne
September 25, 2012 9:21 p.m.
I noticed that you only talked about egg yokes. I've seern studies where if eating the whole egg, the whites balance out the yokes & an egg is a perfect food. I once went on the Atkin's diet, had my cholesterol levels checked before & after & surprisingly my cholesterol count improved for the better. I was pleasantly surprised.
- Lory
September 25, 2012 3:26 p.m.
I am confused. I thought it has been determined that dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol are not related, and that it is fat, sugar or low hormoes that increase serum cholestrol levels. Also, what about the studies that show countries, such as Switzerlandd, with high choleterol levels but low heart disease, and other groups of people, like the Australian Aborigines, who have the lowest rate of cholesterol but the highest rate of heart disaese and death?
- Lisa
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