The great egg debate is still cracking on. Egg yolks are loaded with cholesterol, good and bad. But one nutritionist says it's not all bad, in moderation.
Some French people eat only one egg at breakfast, because for them an egg a day is "un oeuf," enough.Since we worry more these days about cholesterol and rightly so - people tend to be very careful about daily intake of eggs. Some eat mostly egg whites (high in protein, no cholesterol) and limit yolks (fat and cholesterol) to two a week.
People with high blood pressure and high cholesterol often skip egg yolks or eat them rarely. Two whole chicken eggs a week are generally considered safe, and all the whites you want. Egg yolks of different bird species contain different size of yolks and cholesterol concentrations.
Regular exercise lowers cholesterol. Egg whites somewhat counteract the "bad" LDL cholesterol.
It is also true that eggs are nutritious and the body needs some cholesterol.
There is debate, however, about egg yolk and cholesterol and their link to high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries and other problems. How much is too much?
Let's hear from a pro-egg expert.
Wang Qingshan, the nutritionist of Shanghai Yodak Cardio-Thoracic Hospital, argues that one egg a day is not only harmless, but very healthful.
"Cholesterol has gotten such bad press that we never see it in a good light," says Wang, "but it is essential for people. It generates cholic acid to supply the liver, epicyte to protect cells and hormones to promote metabolism."