Q: Sometimes I like to cook up a veggie omelet for breakfast or lunch. Should I be using whole eggs, egg whites, those cartons of liquid eggs…or avoiding eggs altogether?
A: Judith C. Thalheimer, RD, LDN, executive editor of this newsletter, answers: “The elephant in the room when we talk about eggs is cardiovascular disease and, more specifically, levels of cholesterol in the body. LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol contributes to the build-up of plaque in the walls of blood vessels, increasing risk for heart attack and stroke.
“Egg yolks are high in cholesterol but have very little saturated fat. Research has shown that intake of saturated fat (like that found in the bacon or sausage often served with eggs) is more likely to raise your levels of LDL cholesterol than dietary cholesterol. Refined carbs (like that white toast on the side) and starchy vegetables (like the white potatoes in home fries and hash browns) are also associated with higher risk for cardiovascular disease for other reasons. So, what I’m saying is, eggs are not the biggest worry in an egg-based breakfast.
“Therefore, if you’re enjoying a couple of eggs now and then, whole eggs are a perfectly fine choice. If it’s a frequent meal, you might want to use just one whole egg and two whites, just to err on the side of caution. Some people are genetically highly sensitive to dietary cholesterol, so the cholesterol in eggs could be a factor in raising their LDL cholesterol levels. If you have high LDL cholesterol levels and cutting back on saturated fat does not help, you may need to cut back more on major sources of dietary cholesterol, like that in eggs.
“As far as liquid eggs in a carton, these take three main forms: egg whites, liquid whole eggs, and liquid egg substitute or egg ‘product.’ If you’d rather keep these on hand than crack and beat your own eggs, compare the ingredient lists and choose products where the only ingredient is whole eggs or egg whites. Pasteurized liquid whole eggs are an interesting option for home cooks who want to be able to eat their cookie dough without fear of food poisoning (but be aware that uncooked flour can also harbor bacteria). They may have citric acid added to preserve the color but should otherwise contain nothing but eggs.”
Richard D. Siegel, MD, is the co-director of the Diabetes and Lipid Center and a doctor at the Weight and Wellness Center at Tufts Medical Center. Read an interview with him on weight loss drugs.