Results from a PROSPERITY study presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session offers egg lovers some good news. The study showed egg consumption did not raise cholesterol levels in adults who ate fortified eggs over a four-month period.

That’s good news since Americans love eggs. Statista reports U.S. citizens ate an average of 281.3 eggs per person in 2023. That number may increase to as many as 284.4 eggs per person in 2024. This is a stark contrast to the year 2000, when Americans only ate about 250 eggs per person.

A Bad Reputation

Medical professionals worried that eating eggs could raise cholesterol, which doctors say can often lead to heart problems. A single egg yolk contains about 187 grams of cholesterol and 5 grams of fat.

However, according to Health, the old notions that eating higher-cholesterol foods can raise low-density lipoprotein or LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels have changed. Doctors and nutritionists now know that eating foods higher in cholesterol has much less impact on cholesterol levels than previously thought.

Doctors now advise patients to avoid trans fats, saturated fats, and added sugar to help keep cholesterol at a healthy level. As long as a person has an otherwise healthy diet, most experts agree they can safely eat about one or two eggs daily. Eggs also provide healthy omega-3 fats, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and B12.

Nina Nouhravesh, MD, a research fellow at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, was the lead author for the PROSPERITY study. She says, “…there’s been a lot of conflicting information about whether or not eggs are safe to eat, especially for people who have or are at risk for heart disease… This is a small study, but it gives us reassurance that eating fortified eggs is OK with regard to lipid effects over four months.”

Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in its most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, advocates for eggs as “nutrient-dense” foods.

Not as Cheap as They Used To Be

Once upon a time, eggs were a cheaper option and a good protein choice for those on more limited incomes. That, like many other things, changed during the pandemic. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports egg prices rose about $3.30 per dozen from January 2021 to January 2023. Prices have dropped since then, and eggs now average about $3 a dozen in the U.S.

Even with the price hike, eggs are still a cheaper source of protein than other non-vegetarian options. According to Healthline, one large egg has about 6.3 grams of protein. The average adult male requires about 56 grams of protein every day, so a couple of eggs for breakfast provide a little more than 12% of his daily protein needs. Healthline reports that women need about 46 grams of protein daily, so the same two-egg breakfast meets about 13% of their recommended daily intake.

Eggs in Everything

Eggs are used in numerous dishes, from savory to sweet. A basic Google search for the term “egg recipes” produces 1.7 billion results.

Fried, scrambled, poached, or boiled, eggs are a favorite breakfast food. Boiled eggs are often chopped up and added to vegetable and meat salads. Eggs are also the featured ingredient in omelets, frittatas, and breakfast casseroles, and they are served in a number of breakfast sandwiches.

Tiffany McCauley, with The Gracious Pantry, says, “I eat eggs on a daily basis. They are a great form of protein for starting my day. I love a tasty egg salad sandwich for lunch or for dinner… Bacon and eggs for dinner are one of life’s great pleasures.”

According to The Kitchn, baked goods get much of their structure from eggs, and they’re used in nearly every baked item imaginable. A beaten egg mixed with water is often brushed over bread or rolls to create a golden brown top.

Egg yolks are used in custards, while the whites form the basis for meringues. Many buttercream frostings, including Swiss, Italian, and French, start from beaten egg whites. Egg whites also give some baked goods lift and leavening. Souffles get their tall tops from egg whites, and an angel food cake takes a dozen whipped egg whites to fill a tube pan.

Other Egg Jobs

Eggs are more than a versatile food. Their proteins also make them useful in other applications. An old use for eggs is in tempera paint. According to Artists and Illustrators, egg tempera dates back to 5 B.C. It was also used in the Renaissance by masters including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Piero della Francisco, and Sandro Botticelli. They mixed egg yolks, pigment, oil, and water to create their masterpieces.

Eggs are also popular in home beauty concoctions. Medical News Today reports egg whites are good for oily skin, while the yolks benefit dry skin. They can also add moisture to dry hair or as a mask for an oily scalp. The yolks mixed with granulated sugar make a healthy skin scrub.

Many gardeners prize ground eggshells for use in their compost piles. Oddly enough, those who keep chickens sometimes will feed their birds ground eggshells as a calcium supplement to ensure the eggs they lay have hard shells. Gardeners can also use the water from boiled or poached eggs for extra nutrition in their plants.

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This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.