Eating one egg daily is healthy, study shows

Credit: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash.

Scientists from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences and elsewhere found that eating one egg or less every day does not increase death risks from cancer or heart disease.

The connection between eating eggs and death rates is a topic that has been debated among experts.

To shed more light on this issue, a recent study was conducted to examine the link between egg consumption and the risk of mortality from different causes in the general population.

The researchers searched for relevant papers published in reputable scientific databases up to March 2021 and analyzed data from 33 cohort studies.

They included over 2 million participants and recorded more than 230,000 deaths from various causes.

The study found that eating eggs in moderation (up to 1 egg per day) did not increase the risk of death from all causes, heart disease, coronary heart disease, stroke, or respiratory disease.

However, higher egg intake was linked to a higher risk of cancer mortality. In other words, people who ate more eggs were more likely to die from cancer compared to those who ate fewer eggs.

In terms of the dose-response link, the study showed that adding an extra egg per week to one’s diet was associated with a 2% and 4% increased risk of all-cause and cancer mortality, respectively, but a 4% decreased risk of stroke mortality.

These findings suggest that while eggs can be a part of a healthy diet, it’s best to consume them in moderation to minimize the risk of negative health outcomes.

The researchers noted that the certainty of their findings was rated as low to moderate, which means that more research is needed to confirm the results.

Nonetheless, these findings provide valuable insights into the impact of egg consumption on mortality rates, and they suggest that people should be mindful of how many eggs they eat as part of a healthy diet.

Eggs are a highly nutritious food that provides a wide range of essential nutrients that are important for overall health and well-being. Here are some of the key nutrients found in eggs:

Protein: Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. In fact, one large egg contains approximately 6 grams of protein.

Vitamins: Eggs are also a good source of several vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin B12.

Vitamin A is important for vision, while vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and maintain strong bones.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects cells from damage, and vitamin B12 is necessary for healthy nerve function and red blood cell production.

Minerals: Eggs contain a variety of minerals, including iron, zinc, and selenium. Iron is important for healthy blood cells, while zinc helps the immune system function properly. Selenium is an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage.

Choline: Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that is important for brain development and function, as well as liver health.

In addition to these key nutrients, eggs also contain healthy fats and are low in calories, making them a great addition to a healthy and balanced diet.

It’s worth noting, however, that the nutritional content of eggs can vary depending on factors such as the diet and living conditions of the chickens that lay them.

The research was published in Advances in Nutrition and was conducted by Seyed Mohammad Mousavi et al.

If you care about nutrition, please read studies about how the Mediterranean diet could protect your brain health, and this plant nutrient could help reduce high blood pressure.

For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies that olive oil may help you live longer, and vitamin D could help lower the risk of autoimmune diseases.

Copyright © 2023 Scientific Diet. All rights reserved.