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Are egg yolks bad for your cholesterol?
Eggs spent decades as a cholesterol villain. Large long-term studies tell a more forgiving story for most people.
What the research actually found
Large, long-term Harvard cohort studies found no significant overall association between egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease or stroke in the general population, with up to about 7 eggs per week considered compatible with a healthy diet for most people.[1]
Why dietary cholesterol matters less than expected
Most blood cholesterol is produced by your liver, and the liver is stimulated to make more cholesterol primarily by dietary saturated and trans fat — not the cholesterol in food itself. Eggs are relatively low in saturated fat and contain no trans fat, which is a large part of why egg intake doesn't move blood cholesterol as much as it was long assumed to. One notable exception: some research links higher egg intake with increased cardiovascular risk specifically in men with diabetes, so individual risk factors still matter.[1]
Keep reading: Cholesterol explained · Saturated vs. unsaturated fat · High-protein breakfast ideas