Egg Nutrition Center

Cardio­metabolic Health

Cardiometabolic health is a relatively new term that encompasses cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Collectively, such conditions are the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. They all share similar risk factors (e.g., overweight/obesity, elevated blood pressure) which can be modified by diet and lifestyle choices. The available evidence indicates that eggs, when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet pattern, do not affect risk factors for cardiometabolic disease. Recent recommendations from the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and American Diabetes Association do not limit egg or cholesterol intake, a change from earlier guidance from these organizations. In fact, several global health organizations, including Health Canada, the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Australian Heart Foundation and the Irish Heart Foundation, promote eggs as part of a heart-healthy diet.

Given the public health significance of understanding cardiometabolic diseases, research on risk reduction remains an active area of pursuit. For example:

  • A randomized controlled study in people with metabolic syndrome showed that those consuming three whole eggs per day as part of a reduced carbohydrate diet experienced favorable changes in HDL-cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and other aspects of the lipoprotein lipid profile
  • A randomized controlled weight loss trial in people with diagnosed type 2 diabetes showed improved lipid and glucose markers following consumption of 2 eggs per day for 12 weeks.
  • An egg-based breakfast, rich in protein (35% energy; 26.1 g egg protein), promoted glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes relative to a high-carbohydrate breakfast.

Daily Consumption of Eggs Increase Plasma Choline Without Affecting Risk for Heart Disease in Healthy Individuals

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Featured article in the March, 2019 Issue of Nutrition Research Update; written by Bruno S. Lemos, PhD

Currently one in every four deaths in the United States is from cardiovascular disease (CVD)1. The major cause of CVD is atherosclerosis due to cholesterol accumulation in the arterial wall, building up to form a plaque that upon rupturing, can lead to major cardiovascular events such as stroke, heart attack and sudden death2. With that, consumption of cholesterol-rich foods have historically been a concern to the American population in regards to association with CVD risk.

Egg Metabolites Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk: Insights into a Potential Mechanism

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New egg nutrition research was making the headlines once again recently with the news of a new study that showed consumption of one egg every day is associated with a blood metabolite profile that would indicate a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study1, published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, examined 2,682 men aged 42-60 years of age as part of the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease (KIHD) Risk Factor Study in Finland. Dietary intakes were assessed with 4-day food records at baseline while type 2 diabetes incidence was assessed at 4, 11, and 20 years. Researchers compared the metabolic profile of individuals with higher egg intake – about one egg per day – to the metabolic profile of those with lower egg intake – about two eggs per week on average. The authors then took this information and looked for any relationships between those who developed type 2 diabetes or those who otherwise remained healthy during a follow-up period of almost 20 years.

Eggs, Diabetes, and the Current Scientific Evidence

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The Dietary Guidelines for Americans no longer provide a limit for dietary cholesterol for healthy people,1  however, some questions remain about the cardiovascular impact in people with diabetes or impaired fasting glucose.  This Nutrition Research Update highlights new evidence that supports eggs can be included in a healthy dietary pattern without adverse cardiovascular effects linked to diabetes, and in some cases, can be linked to beneficial outcomes.

What Foods Should People with Diabetes Eat

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By Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, CHWC, FAND

Many people with diabetes avoid health-boosting foods because of the food’s perceived effect on blood glucose or because of long-held fears of carbohydrates, fats or cholesterol. As type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease with effects reaching the liver, heart, brain and more, people with diabetes should be encouraged to avoid the myopic view that diabetes is merely a blood sugar problem. Thus, a diet for type 2 diabetes management must also consider overall health with emphasis on glucose control, reversing insulin resistance and preventing heart disease and stroke.

The following are several foods people with diabetes often have questions about.

Whole Eggs and Cholesterol Absorption

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Dietary cholesterol intake from whole eggs has shown to elicit a highly variable impact on blood cholesterol levels, with approximately two-thirds of the population having a minimal or no response. This has certainly effected a shift in modern day thinking regarding dietary cholesterol. Why wouldn’t dietary intake directly affect body levels? A recent study in Nutrients delved further into the relationship between cholesterol in eggs and plasma cholesterol levels by measuring how cholesterol is absorbed immediately after a meal.