By Macaela Mackenzie
What's a healthy weekly egg intake?
Polishing off a full carton of eggs each week appears to be perfectly safe, according to experts. Keri Gans, R.D., who wrote The Small Change Diet, confirms that two eggs daily works just fine for most people. Big relief.
Need a quick way to check whether the eggs in your fridge are still fresh?
Gans does highlight one important caveat, though: individuals should examine their overall eating habits to pinpoint where saturated fat is sneaking in. "Consuming two eggs a day is absolutely fine," she explains, "but piling cheese on top of scrambled eggs can send your saturated fat and calorie totals soaring."
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What about the cholesterol content in eggs?
Eggs historically drew criticism for their cholesterol levels—each large egg packs 186 mg, and older guidelines capped total daily cholesterol at 300 mg. At the time, researchers believed cholesterol from food would directly raise blood cholesterol, the type linked to blocked arteries and heart attacks. Contemporary research and updated recommendations, though, have largely shifted the blame to saturated fat rather than dietary cholesterol as the main contributor to harmful LDL levels.
The American Heart Association suggests capping saturated fat at 6 percent of your daily caloric intake. On a 2,000-calorie eating plan, that means no more than 120 calories, or 13 grams, of saturated fat per day. For perspective, a single large raw egg contains around 1.6 grams of saturated fat. That figure may seem small—until you consider the butter or EVOO used for cooking, not to mention potential cheese toppings or a side of bacon.
That said, Sonya Angelone, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, warns against ignoring cholesterol entirely—or going to extremes. Although the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans eliminated the specific ceiling on cholesterol consumption, they still recommend that Americans minimize dietary cholesterol intake as much as possible, even with the old 300 mg-per-day limit retired.
Are egg whites truly the better choice over whole eggs?
Eh…not quite. Merely swapping whole eggs for egg whites might not deliver the full nutritional package.
"The yolk contains nutrients you simply won't get from egg whites alone," Gans notes. "All the fat-soluble vitamins reside in the yolk, so removing it does cut the fat—but you also lose a tremendous amount of nutritional value." Far from ideal if you're chasing a quick yet wholesome meal.
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So…is it okay to eat eggs every day?
Diversifying your food choices matters most, explains Beth Warren, R.D.N., founder of Beth Warren Nutrition and author of Living A Real Life With Real Food. She generally steers clients away from eating any single food daily, advocating instead for a rotation cycle of roughly three days. "This approach helps guarantee a broader balance of vitamins and nutrients from an assortment of whole foods," Warren adds.
That said, if you're set on eating something every day, eggs rank as a solid option. "The impressive benefits packed into an egg make it a simple, affordable, and worthwhile addition to any diet—provided you keep tabs on your overall daily saturated fat," Warren says.
The bottom line, per Gans, is that the appropriate egg count depends entirely on the rest of your eating habits. One large egg delivers roughly 80 calories, five grams of fat, and six grams of protein. So if your other meals already cover plenty of protein and fat, a daily five-egg cheese omelet isn't smart. But if your schedule is packed and your next solid protein source is uncertain, cracking one more egg into the skillet before heading out the door makes perfect sense.
Additional reporting by Korin Miller.
womenshealthmag.com
