Traditionally, eggs were considered a harmful product due to their high cholesterol content, which allegedly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, new research is challenging these stereotypes. Recent data from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) suggests that moderate egg consumption may have cognitive benefits, lowering blood cholesterol levels and even improving memory.
The study, which lasted four years, looked at the health data of 890 adults who participated in the Long-Term Study of Aging, which began in 1988. It turns out that eating two to four eggs a week lowers blood cholesterol and improves cognitive function. This was especially noticeable in women, in whom a smaller decrease in short-term and long-term memory was recorded.
According to separate data for men, increased egg consumption was also associated with better scores on cognitive tests, although this association varied between groups and depended on other factors.
Researchers, including Donna Kritz-Silverstein and Ricky Bettencourt, emphasize that despite the high level of cholesterol in eggs, they do not have a negative impact on health. On the contrary, they may even help support cognitive function over time, challenging traditional recommendations to limit consumption of high-cholesterol foods such as eggs, oil, and cream.
According to scientists, it is not cholesterol in the diet, but saturated fat, sugar and sodium that may be more important factors contributing to the formation of plaque in the arteries than cholesterol from food. This is an important discovery for understanding how our health actually works and how nutrition affects the cardiovascular system.
Eggs are not only rich in cholesterol, but also contain many nutrients that have a positive effect on health. They have a high protein content, as well as carotenoids, which improve cognitive abilities, and choline, which is necessary for the synthesis of neurotransmitters, chemical compounds that help transmit signals between nerve cells.
These properties may explain the link between egg consumption and improved cognitive function. However, further research is needed to fully understand this relationship and the mechanisms underlying it.
This study becomes part of a broader reassessment of the role of dietary cholesterol. Indeed, a meta-analysis published in 2020 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found no consistent association between moderate egg consumption and cardiovascular disease in most populations. These data add to the current scientific understanding and help to adjust dietary recommendations.
New research opens up a more nuanced understanding of the effects of eggs on health. Despite the traditional perception of their harm due to high cholesterol content, eggs can bring many health benefits, in particular in the context of cognitive functions and the cardiovascular system. However, for the final conclusions, additional research is needed, which will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms of influence of eggs on our body.
