ABSTRACT
As of the early 1970's, a reduction in consumption of eggs, a concentrated source of cholesterol (one yolk provides ~215 mg of cholesterol), had been widely recommended in an effort to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease[1]. In 1973, the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines specifically advocated exclusion of eggs from the diet, accompanying the advised cholesterol restriction[2]. More recent AHA guidelines no longer advise for or against egg or egg yolk consumption, admitting that there is a lack of scientific evidence for selecting a target level for dietary cholesterol[3]. This is partially due to individual differences in serum cholesterol responses to dietary cholesterol. The recommended intake of daily dietary cholesterol continues to be 300 mg/day or less for healthy adults and less than 200 mg/day for persons with elevated cholesterol or heart disease[3]. Given the widespread nature of this recommendation, there is surprisingly little evidence that egg consumption increases blood cholesterol levels, thereby increasing cardiovascular risk [4].
