Things keep looking (sunny side) up for egg lovers: First, the USDA threw out its longstanding recommendation that people eat no more than 300 mg cholesterol a day—now, the organization doesn't set any limit on cholesterol (by the way, one egg has 185 mg). And now, new research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that consuming about an egg a day may lower risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Researchers from the University of Eastern Finland recorded the dietary habits of about 2,000 middle-aged men and followed up for a period of about 19 years. What they found was clear: Eating at least a half an egg per day was associated with a 37% drop in T2D risk (compared to eating just one egg or less per week).
The finding is especially surprising because, for many years, dietary cholesterol has been thought to be a risk factor for T2D—and eggs, of course, are a major source of dietary cholesterol. But the researchers say demonizing eggs for their cholesterol misses the fact that they offer tons of other beneficial compounds, too.
"In addition to high-quality protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, eggs include bioactive compounds like carotenoids, which have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties," says lead author Jyrki K Virtanen, PhD, adjunct professor of nutritional epidemiology at University of Eastern Finland. And inflammation, he points out, is a risk factor for diabetes.
The authors do offer a caveat: It's probably best for people who already have T2D to avoid eggs, since some studies have shown eggs can increase heart disease risk for those who already have diabetes. But if you're otherwise healthy? Stick to about an egg a day and scramble away.
source:http://www.prevention.com/
