New study finds that eating between one and six eggs each week significantly reduces the risk of dying from any cause but particularly from heart disease.
Whether eating eggs is good for you is something that has been debated for decades. That they’re packed with beneficial nutrients, including high-quality protein, is offset by the oft cited worry about cholesterol content and its impact on heart disease.
Now, a new study led by Monash University researchers has revisited the subject of egg consumption, specifically examining its association with death from heart disease in older adults, an area in which research is limited. The researchers analyzed data from 8,756 Australian and American adults aged 70-plus.
“Eggs are a nutrient-dense food, they are a rich source of protein and a good source of essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (E, D, A, and K), choline, and numerous minerals and trace elements,” said Holly Wild, PhD candidate and lecturer from Australia's Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and the study’s lead and corresponding author. “Eggs are also an accessible source of protein and nutrition in older adults, with research suggesting that they are the preferred source of protein for older adults who might be experiencing age-related physical and sensory decline.”
Participants who fell into the weekly category of egg consumption (eating one to six eggs per week), had a 29 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 17 percent lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those participants who ate eggs never or infrequently.
When the researchers examined the impact of diet quality on the relationship between egg consumption and cardiovascular mortality risk, they found that participants who ate a moderate- and high-quality diet and who consumed eggs weekly demonstrated a 33 percent and 44 percent lower cardiovascular mortality risk compared to those who never/infrequently consumed eggs.
“Our results suggest that eating up to six eggs a week may reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular-related diseases in older adults,” Wild said. “These findings may be beneficial in the development of evidence-based dietary guidelines for older adults.”