An egg a day OK for heart, research finds

Eating an egg a day is better for your heart than consuming a serving of red meat or milk, a study has found.

Eating an egg a day is better for your heart than consuming a serving of red meat or milk, a study has found.

Despite being an affordable source of protein, iron and unsaturate­d fatty acids, eggs have been linked to a risk of cardio­vascular disease (CVD) due to their cholesterol content.

Researchers in the US investigated the link between egg intake and cases of CVD, including non-fatal heart attack, fatal coronary heart disease, and stroke.

The 32-year study of more than 200,000 people in the US, Europe and Asia found there was no increased risk of CVD in participants who ate eggs regularly.

But the study published in the BMJ found there was a higher risk of CVD when researchers statistically replaced one whole egg a day with other foods.

For processed red meat it was 15 per cent higher, unprocessed meat 10 per cent higher, and full-fat milk 11 per cent higher. Foods such as fish, poultry, legumes, cheese and nuts in place of eggs were not linked to any increased risk of heart disease.

During the study period, there were 14,806 cases of CVD, including 9010 cases of coronary heart disease and 5903 cases of stroke. Most people ate between one to five eggs per week.

Those with a higher egg intake­ had a higher body mass index, were less likely to be treated with statins and ate more red meat. After adjusting for age, lifestyle and dietary factors, no association was found between egg intake and risk of CVD.

The study noted that in Asian populations regular egg consumption was actually linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, Western popula­tions often eat eggs in an unhealthy­ combination with meat, such as a fry-up.

The Times