Eggs and heart health

By Halley Molstad, CD, RD, Gundersen Nutrition Therapy

Find Healthy Recipes

It can feel like every new study on eggs comes to a slightly different conclusion.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2015-2020 removed cholesterol as a nutrient of concern due to, but also encouraged Americans to limit their cholesterol intake. The Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern recommended in the Dietary Guidelines contains 100-300 mg cholesterol and a large egg contains about 190 mg cholesterol.

A new study published in Journal of the American Medical Association found an association between cholesterol intake and cardiovascular disease. It is too soon to tell if this study will affect the new Dietary Guidelines that will be released in 2020.

While the research on eggs continues to evolve, some recommendations for heart health have stayed the same. To promote heart health try to include foods rich in soluble fiber, monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids in your diet.

Good sources of soluble fibers include:

• Oats
• Flax
• Berries
• Citrus fruits
• Apples
• Pears
• Dried beans and peas

Good sources of Monounsaturated fats include:

• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Peanut oil
• Natural peanut butter
• Avocado
• Walnuts
• Flax

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include:

• Cold water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, herring etc.)
• Walnuts
• Flax
• Canola oil

To add more heart healthy fats and fibers to your breakfast try these tips:

• Add berries to cereal or yogurt
• Add an apple or pear to your meal
• Add peanut butter to your toast
• Add flax to hot cereal, yogurt or smoothie
• Add walnuts to hot cereal

Replace an egg in a baked goods recipe with a flax egg:
Combine 1 Tbsp ground flax with 3 Tbsp water and let sit for a few minutes to allow flax to gel. Add to the recipe as directed.