Editor's note: This article has already been published in 2017. We have updated it and wish informative entertainment.

No more than two eggs a week should you eat, is a common piece of advice. The reason sounds obvious at first glance. The egg is rich in cholesterol - a substance that increases the risk of calcified arteries in the blood and thus of stroke and heart attack in larger quantities. For this reason, a high egg consumption could endanger the heart, so the warning.

In general, the cholesterol from the egg and the food but has only a small effect on how much of the substance circulates in the blood. The reason for this is a sophisticated metabolism that keeps the amount of cholesterol in check in a healthy person.

Cholesterol - important component of hormones

Despite the bad reputation, cholesterol is one of the essential substances for the human body, but it does not work. The molecule is not only an important component of the membrane of our body cells, it also forms the skeleton of many hormones. His descendants include, among others, the anti-inflammatory cortisone and the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen.

For replenishment, the body produces most of its own cholesterol. If cholesterol is added from the diet, two safety mechanisms avoid oversupply: On the one hand, the body immediately slows down its own production when the intestines report greater cholesterol intake from food. On the other hand, absorption via the intestine is limited. If the egg breakfast delivers too much cholesterol, the body simply excretes the superfluous. "As a healthy person, it is virtually impossible to overdose on cholesterol through food," says Christian Prinz, director of the Helios Gastroenterology Clinic in Wuppertal.

In addition to the mechanisms that protect against overdose from food, many human studies also indicate that eating eggs does not endanger the heart and circulation. In 2013, Chinese researchers summarized the results of 17 studies that surveyed egg consumption and coronary heart disease and strokes. Your clear conclusion: Even those who eat more than one egg a day, does not become ill more often than Eierablehner.

Based on research such as this, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) even points out in 2017 that eggs should only be consumed in moderation, out of their ten rules for healthy eating. Just in March 2019, however, researchers came to the conclusion, in a study with nearly 30,000 Americans, that egg-eater suffers more frequently in the heart, but the effects were low.

Increased cholesterol level: Then prefer egg abstinence

It is clear that there is no carte blanche for people who already have high cholesterol and thus an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The causes of high cholesterol levels are manifold, in addition to genetic factors may include obesity, diabetes, certain drugs or hypothyroidism belong. "Those affected are sometimes thin pegs without obesity," says Prinz.

While dietary cholesterol accounts for only a small percentage of total cholesterol, gastroenterologist Prinz says, "It's important to avoid excess, but a Sunday breakfast is allowed." Conversely, a high cholesterol level can not be controlled by a strict diet alone, says Prinz. Even those who refrain completely from eggs in addition to cholesterol-containing foods such as shrimp, salmon or salami, can only lower the values ​​by ten to 15 percent depending on their predisposition.

However, cholesterol-depleted people can, in good conscience, scramble their egg appetite with scrambled eggs and colorful Easter eggs. Because in addition to plenty of cholesterol and calories, eggs also provide the body with high-quality proteins, important minerals and vitamins. "Especially for children, the daily breakfast egg provides a good basis," says Prinz. "The contained B vitamins, for example, are important for neuronal development." The egg, it's better than his reputation.

Conclusion: The cholesterol from foods such as eggs has only a small influence on what amounts of the substance circulate in the blood. People with already high cholesterol levels should still rarely eat high cholesterol foods. Everyone else can enjoy it.

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