It’s eggs-cellent news for egg lovers with the Heart Foundation recommending that Kiwi’s with increased risk of heart disease can eat up to six eggs per week as part of a heart-healthy diet
The Heart Foundation now recommends that Kiwi’s with increased risk of heart disease can eat up to six eggs per week as part of a heart-healthy diet.
The new advice follows international research and subsequent recommendations from other global organisations, who have relaxed their advice on egg consumption.
In line with this, the Heart Foundation commissioned an independent scientific report titled ‘Eggs and the Heart’ which was issued in January this year.
The previous recommended egg intake per week was limited to three.
Other reinforcements include increasing vegetable intake, eating more whole and less processed foods and reducing saturated fat intake.
Although egg yolks are high in dietary cholesterol, the weight of evidence suggests eggs have only a very small effect on blood cholesterol levels, says National Nutrition Advisor for the Heart Foundation, Angela Berrill.
“While evidence is not clear enough to say there’s no association between dietary cholesterol and heart disease, it is also not strong enough to continue previous recommendations which limited egg intake to three per week,” Berrill said.
“Eggs are also an inexpensive source of protein and offer other nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamin D, B12, selenium and choline.”
The New Zealand Nutrition Foundation supports this view adding that eggs are a great way to include protein in your diet.
“Eating eggs also has a positive impact on hunger suppression and can boost satiety, improve concentration and performance all round,” says New Zealand Nutrition Foundation Dietitian, Sarah Hanrahan.
For more information on eggs, including heart-friendly recipes, visit www.eggs.org.nz or www.facebook.com/nzeggs
