Eggs taking a beating

Last week we reported that eating eggs can lower your risk of breast cancer. But this week, they’re in the frying pan over a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionlinking daily egg consumption to an increased risk of all-cause mortality. Yes, the study focused on men, but the 23 percent increase in death risk is rather scary for any female egg eater too.

The back and forth is just about enough to make any omelette lover crack up from confusion.

But an editorial accompanying the study should help put the issue into perspective.

Eggs “are neither ‘good’ nor ‘bad,’ and they can be part of an overall heart-healthy diet,” writes Dr. Robert Eckel, a co-chair of the Cardiometabolic Health Congress. He points out that the study didn’t include data on other dietary variables such as saturated and trans fats intake, fruit, vegetable and whole grains consumption and other patterns of healthy eating, and notes that those who reported highest egg consumption were also older, smoked more cigarettes, were less physically active, ate breakfast cereal less often and had higher incidence of high blood pressure and diabetes.

If you can’t forego your daily egg, Eckel suggests opting for egg whites instead, or limiting yolks to three or four times a week. Sounds like a reasonable approach indeed.