Can you eat egg yolks while dieting? A guide for people with high cholesterol eating eggs.

Can people on a diet eat egg yolks?

Many people trying to lose weight are afraid to eat egg yolks, and even some doctors advise dieters to eat fewer yolks. This actually shows a lack of understanding of how to lose weight effectively.

Just as I recommend prioritizing whole milk, while egg yolks contain a relatively high amount of cholesterol and other fats, they also contain abundant fat-soluble nutrients. Eating a small amount of fat can provide a feeling of fullness, reducing hunger and naturally decreasing cravings for other foods. Eat less cholesterol, but don't eliminate it entirely. Cholesterol is a very important nutrient for the body, playing a crucial role in hormone synthesis.

Furthermore, the protein content in egg yolks is higher than that in egg whites, and its bioavailability is also higher. Egg yolks contain 15.2 grams of protein per 100 grams, while egg whites contain 11.6 grams per 100 grams. Therefore, eating a whole egg is more effective for supplementing protein than eating only the egg white.

In my diet plan, I recommend eating a whole egg for breakfast and one egg white for dinner every day. A 2019 study from Northwestern University's School of Medicine also corroborated this approach. They synthesized the results of a 17-year study of 30,000 people, suggesting that excessive egg consumption is bad for health. The most suitable diet for the average adult is one egg yolk and two egg whites daily, which aligns perfectly with my dietary recommendations.

Are eggs suitable for people with high cholesterol?

Many people believe that excessive cholesterol intake will raise blood cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is not the case.

First, the US Dietary Guidelines stated as early as 2015 that we do not need to restrict dietary cholesterol.

Second, the human body synthesizes 3 grams of cholesterol daily, which is roughly equivalent to the cholesterol content of 14 whole eggs (one egg contains 0.2-0.3 grams of cholesterol). Even if we don't consume cholesterol, our bodies will automatically synthesize it; if we consume more, our bodies synthesize less, and vice versa.

Third, research shows that only 4% of the cholesterol we ingest daily affects our cholesterol levels. In other words, eating one or two egg yolks daily is insufficient to raise cholesterol levels.

Fourth, moderate cholesterol intake can promote bile synthesis in the liver and facilitate fat metabolism, which can actually aid in weight loss.

Fifth, international research indicates that carbohydrates, especially refined sugars and starches, are what truly influence cholesterol levels.

It is said that an American doctor has consistently eaten four eggs daily for 20 years, and his cholesterol and other health indicators remain normal. Therefore, people with high cholesterol can safely eat eggs, but should reduce their intake of refined carbohydrates, and most importantly, achieve a balanced diet.