It's 'Sunny Side Up' for Eggs and Cholesterol

From poached to pan fried, when it comes to eggs, it's all sunny side up, according to new research from the University of South Australia, which confirms that this breakfast favorite won't crack your cholesterol.

Long blamed for high cholesterol, eggs have been beaten up for their assumed role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Now, UniSA researchers have apparently shown that it's not dietary cholesterol in eggs but the saturated fat in our diets that's the real heart health concern.

In the study, researchers examined the independent effects of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat on LDL cholesterol (the "bad" kind), finding that eating two eggs a day – as part of a high cholesterol but low saturated fat diet – can actually reduce LDL levels and lower the risk of heart disease.

CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 18 million deaths each year. In Australia, one person dies from CVD every 12 minutes, accounting for one in four of deaths nationwide.

"Eggs have long been unfairly cracked by outdated dietary advice," said UniSA Professor Jon Buckley, lead researcher. "They're unique – high in cholesterol, yes, but low in saturated fat. Yet it's their cholesterol level that has often caused people to question their place in a healthy diet.

"In this study, we separated the effects of cholesterol and saturated fat, finding that high dietary cholesterol from eggs, when eaten as part of a low saturated fat diet, does not raise bad cholesterol levels," he said. "Instead, it was the saturated fat that was the real driver of cholesterol elevation.

"You could say we've delivered hard-boiled evidence in defense of the humble egg," Buckley continued. "So, when it comes to a cooked breakfast, it's not the eggs you need to worry about – it's the extra serving of bacon or the side of sausage that's more likely to impact your heart health."