Unscrambling the truth about eggs

Once demonised as bad for the heart, eggs have been repositioned as a health food in recent years as researchers have found that not only are they good for hearts, but can even help you to lose weight. But last week Canadian researchers published findings that could crack eggs’ nutritious reputation.

 In the study of 1,200 subjects with an average age of 61, it was suggested that build-up of carotid plaque, a waxy substance that clogs blood vessels and is linked to cardiovascular disease, was greater in people who ate at least two eggs per week. The researchers specifically blamed egg yolks for this effect. Britons eat nearly 30 million eggs a day. Should we curtail our egg habit to protect our hearts? 

 ARE EGGS BAD FOR CHOLESTEROL OR NOT?

 The latest Canadian research ‘goes against the grain of current scientific thinking’, says Helen Bond, of the British Dietetic Association. A few years ago, Bruce Griffin, professor of nutritional metabolism at the University of Surrey, analysed 30 egg studies carried out over 30 years and found eggs ‘have no clinically significant impact’ on cholesterol levels.

 EGGS CAN PROTECT THE HEART

 In fact, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found eggs helped to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, says Helen Bond. And last year, scientists at the University of Alberta discovered egg yolks contain two important amino acids, tryptophan and tyrosine, and that two raw egg yolks have almost twice as many antioxidants as an apple. Frying or boiling reduced antioxidant levels by about half.

 EGGS ARE A NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE 

Thanks to changes in chicken feed, eggs today are healthier than those produced 30 years ago. Modern eggs contain 70 per cent more vitamin D and double the amount of selenium. Levels of these are low in the UK diet, and linked to an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and infertility. Each egg yolk also provides 13 essential nutrients.

HOW MANY EGGS CAN I HAVE? 

The Department of Health now says we can eat as many eggs as we like, as long as they form part of a healthy, balanced diet. There is no upper limit, says Bond, unless you have inherited high cholesterol. Of the Canadian study, she says that carotid plaque rises anyway with age after 40. And the researchers didn’t take into account lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet.

 AREN’T THEY FATTENING? 

In the Department of Health analysis it was found that eggs contain around 20 per cent less fat, 13 per cent fewer calories and 10 per cent less cholesterol than 30 years ago. In one study, overweight women had eggs or a bagel for breakfast. The egg eaters consumed fewer calories in the following 24 hours. ‘Scientists put the positive effects down to the satiating effects of egg protein,’ says Bond.

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Chicken and eggs can boost your memory: Scientists discover nutrient that may slow down ageing of the brain

This may be the first time you've heard of it, but diets rich in choline may help protect your brain from the affects of ageing.

The nutrient from the B vitamin family is found in foods like chicken, eggs and saltwater fish as well as legumes such as kidney beans.

Researchers at Boston University found people who got plenty of choline in their diets performed better on memory tests and were less likely to show brain changes associated with dementia.

The findings add to evidence that your lifetime diet may make a difference in how your brain ages, said senior researcher Dr Rhoda Au.

However, she cautioned against looking to any one nutrient as a magic bullet against dementia.

'I think the message is that eating a healthy, balanced diet in mid-life is important,' she said.

Previous research has found a Mediterranean-style diet, which includes fish, vegetables and olive oil, might have a protective effect.

For the latest study, Dr Au combed through the results from a long-running heart health survey.

Nearly 1,400 adults aged 36 to 83 answered dietary questionnaires between 1991 and 1995. Then, between 1998 and 2001, they underwent tests of memory and other cognitive abilities and had MRI brain scans.

Want to lose weight? Why you should kick-start a health plan with exercise BEFORE you change your diet

The study found, men and women in the top quarter for choline intake performed better on the memory tests than those in the bottom quarter.

This held true even when factors including education and fat and calorie intake were taken into consideration.

People with higher choline intake at the outset were also less likely to show areas of 'white-matter hyperintensity' in their MRI brain scans.

Those age-related areas are thought to be a sign of blood vessel disease in the brain, which may signal a heightened risk of stroke or, eventually, dementia.

Dr Au said people who didn't consume much choline would not notice an 'appreciable difference' day to day.

However, she said the findings suggest that people with lower choline intakes were more likely to be on a 'pathway' toward mental decline than their counterparts with higher intakes.

While the study does not conclusively prove choline protects the memory there is reason to believe that choline matters. The nutrient is a precursor to the brain chemical acetylcholine, which plays a key role in memory and other cognitive functions; low acetylcholine levels are associated with Alzheimer's.

Experts generally recommend that men get 550mg of choline per day, while women should get 425mg.

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