For decades, eggs were unfairly branded as a dietary villain. In the 1980s and 1990s, health authorities and nutrition experts cautioned against eating too many eggs, warning that their cholesterol content could contribute to clogged arteries and heart disease. As a result, many households drastically reduced or eliminated eggs from their diets. Omelets and sunny-side-up breakfasts gave way to egg substitutes and “cholesterol-free” products, reflecting widespread fear of dietary cholesterol.
However, as nutritional science advanced, this perception began to change. Researchers discovered that the relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels is far more complex than once believed. For most healthy individuals, eating cholesterol-rich foods like eggs does not significantly increase blood cholesterol levels. Instead, the real culprits contributing to heart disease are trans fats, added sugars, and highly processed carbohydrates . These findings turned decades of conventional wisdom upside down and gave eggs a chance to reclaim their place at the table.
Each egg contains about 186 milligrams of cholesterol , concentrated in the yolk. This once made them a prime suspect in heart disease. But large-scale studies now show that eggs do not significantly raise the risk of heart disease in healthy people. Only those with specific genetic conditions, such as familial hypercholesterolemia, or individuals with medical instructions to limit cholesterol intake, need to be cautious. For the majority, enjoying one to two eggs per day is not only safe but may actually be beneficial.
