A comprehensive picture of health benefits of eggs

New research provides a broader perspective on the nutritional effects of egg consumption in young, healthy adults

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Most existing research articles that evaluate the health effects of eggs tend to focus on a more limited range of standard clinical measurements, looking at biomarkers for heart disease, diabetes, body composition, inflammation, immune health, and anemia in isolation, rather than all together. Participants in these studies also tend to have pre-existing risk factors for chronic disease. They typically also follow additional dietary regimen changes like weight loss plans. These factors can complicate interpretations of how eggs affect health markers in the general or young, healthy population.

Andersen and her collaborators conducted a more comprehensive, clinically-focused study that considered many health measurements a doctor would look at during a routine physical.

“It helps to provide a comprehensive picture of the effects of egg intake in a young, healthy population utilizing standard, routine clinical biomarkers,” Andersen says. “We believe that allows for greater translation to the general public.”

The study compared eating no eggs, three egg whites per day, and three whole eggs per day. Participants could prepare the eggs however they preferred.

Andersen found that blood samples showed a significant increase in choline, an essential nutrient found in egg yolks, when participants ate whole eggs daily. Choline intake has been associated with increases in a metabolite known as TMAO, which is linked to heart disease. But Andersen’s study found that TMAO did not change in this population despite increases in choline.

“That’s kind of the best-case scenario,” Andersen says. “We want to have rich amounts of this important nutrient, but not increase this metabolite that could potentially promote cardiovascular disease.”

The researchers did not see any adverse changes in inflammation or blood cholesterol levels either. They also found that eating whole eggs had less of a negative impact on markers associated with diabetes risk than eating egg whites.

Overall, participants had greater nutrient density in their diet when consuming the whole eggs, in addition to higher hematocrit – a measure of red blood cell density in the blood, which can be lowered in anemia.