What you need to know about egg shortages and misinformation

Eggs can’t rest.

It’s out of stock in stores. If you manage to track it down, you may have to pay a lot of cash, but As eggs hit record prices. Ann Avian influenza Outbreaks in the United States killed millions of hens last year and depleted a vital egg supply. And now, there’s a frenzy of misinformation circulating on social media between those in favor of eggs and those who oppose them.For Joe Rogan, eggs cause blood clots. Share a screenshot of an academic paper abstractegg yolk can ward off Covid.

This is not the first egg war. For the last 60 years or so, Scientists have sparred As to whether eggs are bad for your heart, said Walter Willett, a nutrition professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. the nutritionist argued Whether the high levels of cholesterol found in eggs outweigh the protein punch they provide.

“They’ve been fed up for a long time,” says Dr. Selvi Rajagopal, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Claims on social media that eggs can treat Covid or cause blood clots are “baseless,” she said.

Here’s what we know about the benefits and risks of eggs.

How did eggs get such a bad reputation?

According to Dr. Willett, in the 1960s and 1970s, doctors were concerned about whether cholesterol-rich foods could raise the amount of cholesterol in the blood.They have a high level of specific LipoproteinCarrying cholesterol throughout the body can form plaques on the walls of blood vessels. Eggs are rich in cholesterol (one egg yolk can contain about 200 milligrams) and high fat levels have been linked to poor cardiovascular health, so target eggs as a simple diet. Some people

But over the past decade or so, according to Dr. Rajagopal, researchers have Asked Whether or not eating cholesterol-rich foods actually raises lipid levels. Existing evidence proves that the average person reliably increases ‘bad’ cholesterol, known as LDL-C, based on diet. I have not.

Saturated fat is a much more immediate cause of heart disease, and eggs contain a lot of cholesterol, according to Samantha Heller, senior clinical dietitian at NYU Langone Health. After a while, your arteries won’t clog as quickly,” she said.

In 1968, the American Heart Association gave Americans Consume no more than 3 eggs per weekbut by 2015, that mindset had changed significantly.the current U.S. Dietary Guidelines It no longer uses that week’s limit and instead advertises eggs as a “nutritious” protein source.

Is it just eggs that have cracks?

Eggs contain vitamins B, E, and D and are low in saturated fat. It also contains nutrients that are beneficial for the eyes and bones, says Heller.

“There are more pros than cons,” says Beth Chelwony, a registered dietitian at the Center for Human Nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic. added that it is rich in

But that doesn’t make eggs the perfect superfood. Excessive egg consumption still carries a risk of cardiovascular disease, he said, Doerfler said. But for people without underlying cardiovascular problems, eating in moderation, such as one egg (including the yolk) a day, is safe, she said. You can skip them for a few days and eat the occasional three-egg omelet.) If you’re worried about cholesterol, you can stick to the egg whites, but the yolks are the best. It’s also where it resides, so the drawbacks to skipping the yolk may outweigh the benefits.

According to Doerfler, it’s important to look at your overall nutritional intake rather than focusing on one factor. For example, a breakfast that features eggs with toast and fresh fruit is far more heart-healthy than donuts and sugary coffee. rice field. “But those are just a few of the eating patterns.”

Also, experts say there is no substantial evidence that eggs protect against Covid or other diseases.