The French consume on average only 220 eggs (about 11 kg) per year against 84.5 kg of meat, according to our partner The Conversation.
This is explained by a bad reputation born in the 1980s, when the eggs were accused – wrongly!
– to increase cholesterol in the blood.
This analysis was conducted by Joffrey Zoll, lecturer and hospital practitioner in physiology and Anouk Charlot, doctoral student in physiology.
Consumed all over the world for millennia, the egg has exceptional nutritional qualities.
Not content with being rich in proteins, vitamins and trace elements, it is also low in calories, easy to prepare and versatile in use – not to mention the fact that it remains an inexpensive product.
However, its consumption is still relatively limited today compared to other animal products.
On average, the French consume 220 eggs (about 11 kg) per year, compared to 84.5 kg of meat.
This is explained by a stubborn bad reputation, born in the 1980s, when it was wrongly accused of increasing cholesterol in the blood…
It is certainly true that the egg is a food rich in cholesterol: for 100 g of eggs (equivalent to two eggs), we find in its yolk a content of 398 mg.
The fact remains that studies have shown that it does not increase circulating cholesterol when we make a reasonable consumption and when it is integrated into quality dishes.
Before looking at its qualities in detail, let's see what its main “defect” is: the presence of this famous cholesterol.
The issue of cholesterol...
Cholesterol from food is not a problem in itself… What we must be wary of is our blood cholesterol level.
Having too much blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) is one of the cardiovascular risk factors, which can lead to morbidity linked to atherosclerotic plaques that develop inside the blood vessels.
Hypercholesterolemia is measured by the term total cholesterol, which includes both “bad” (LDL-c) and “good” (HDL-c) cholesterol levels, as well as one-fifth of triglyceride levels.
This rate is usually less than 2 g/L.
An LDL cholesterol level is considered normal when it is below 1.6 g/l.
If the patient has one or more risk factors (for example, a man over 50), this limit value is 1.3 g/l.
Beyond that, therapeutic measures are taken.
That being said, why isn't dietary cholesterol so important after all?
Because 70% of our body's cholesterol is produced endogenously by the liver – only 30% comes from food.
Its excess is eliminated by biliary excretion.
Whether of food or endogenous origin, this molecule is essential for the good health of our body.
It is used in particular for training:
vitamin D,
several hormones: those of stress (eg cortisol), ovarian (progesterone, estradiol), testosterone
cell membranes, where it is necessary for their fluidity.
Cholesterol and triglycerides do not circulate freely in the blood.
They are generally transported in structures called “lipoproteins”, which are of two types: HDL (high density lipoproteins) called “good cholesterol” because it has the role of bringing cholesterol from the organs back to the liver to be eliminated there, and LDL (low density lipoproteins) or “bad cholesterol” which allows him the opposite path – from the liver to the organs.
HDL and LDL differ in density and size, which makes them more or less able to transport large amounts of fat.
However, if LDL is essential in order to bring cholesterol to the organs, its excess is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases: hence its nickname.
There is a balance between endogenous cholesterol and that provided by food.
Indeed, if there is an increase in the consumption of cholesterol, its “local” production will tend to decrease.
Thus, the real link between the increase in dietary cholesterol and that of blood cholesterol has not, to date, been demonstrated.
Many studies have shown that the intake of dietary cholesterol has no influence on cholesterol levels in healthy people.
Hence the abandonment, in 2015, of the recommendations (dating from 1960) which limited dietary cholesterol intake to 300 mg per day.
There is therefore no longer, to date, a consumption limit for dietary cholesterol.
Thus, even if an excessively high blood cholesterol level (especially LDLs) remains a cardiovascular risk factor, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is: essentially produced by our body, essential for its proper functioning and that it To date, there is no direct link between the cholesterol provided by food and its presence in the blood.
… And the issue of allergens
Which does not mean, unfortunately, that the egg has free rein.
His allergy is indeed one of the most frequent – the second after milk.
It appears mainly during childhood, between 0 and 5 years, and affects up to 2.5% of children.
This is an allergic reaction known as "mediated by IgE" (Immunoglobulin E): the immune system will recognize the proteins of the egg thanks to antibodies (IgE) and trigger the activation of white blood cells.
The latter will then produce different chemical molecules causing symptoms such as urticaria, gastrointestinal manifestations, coughing up to Quincke's edema.
Generally, they appear a few minutes up to a few hours after egg consumption.
However, the majority of pups with an egg allergy eventually develop a tolerance in childhood and through adolescence.
It is very rare to develop an egg allergy in adulthood, although a few cases have already been identified.
What does its consumption bring us?
The egg has a great nutritional value, it is a complete and simple food to cook.
Whether in white or yellow, it contains many essential elements for our body.
It is particularly rich in protein, and can contain a good amount of omega 3 depending on the conditions in which the hens are kept.
If we consider an egg of medium size, about 50 g, there are 6.5 g of protein, 5 g of fat and almost no carbohydrates – a low-calorie and high-protein food.
According to the recommendations of ANSES, we must consume about 50g (depending on our weight) of protein, including 25g of animal protein.
Thus, the consumption of a single egg provides almost 25% of animal protein intake;
with two eggs, we cover 50% of our daily needs.
Egg protein is also considered the benchmark by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In addition, the yolk is an important source of amino acids (the "building blocks" that allow the manufacture of proteins) - in particular the eight so-called essential amino acids because our body is unable to synthesize them, and which must be provided by the feed.
In terms of vitamins, eating an egg can increase your daily intake significantly, especially with regard to vitamin A. Eggs are rich in vitamin B12, which is essential for the proper functioning of our brain.
It is also a very good source of choline (250 mg/100 g of egg), which is a precursor or constituent of a good number of molecules essential to the proper functioning of our body.
It is still a good source of trace elements: the consumption of two eggs a day makes it possible to cover 20 to 30% of the daily needs for iron, iodine, selenium and phosphorus.
Finally, the egg contains lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids with antioxidant power.
They help protect our cells against free radicals and are particularly known for their protective effects on the eyes.
The amount of antioxidants in egg yolk may be lower than in some colored vegetables, but their bioavailability is higher.
To be absorbed, the antioxidant must be contained in structures called micelles.
In the egg, there are enough fatty acids to form them, which is not necessarily the case in the salad to which fat must be added to allow their good absorption.
How often do you eat eggs?
Consuming eggs is therefore clearly beneficial for our health… it remains to be seen how much we can consume, between benefit and potentially harmful excess.
Since the 1990s, the vast majority of studies have suggested that eating one egg a day has no impact on the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke in healthy people (men and women). .
As a precaution, subjects at risk of developing heart disease, such as diabetics and heart failure patients, should limit their egg consumption, especially if their diet remains too rich in sugars and fats (which should not be the case…).
The maximum number of eggs to consume per day depends on a large number of parameters and it is not easy to set a limit.
A Swedish study showed that you should not eat more than one egg a day, seven days a week, because it raises the risk of heart failure in men.
On the other hand, another study carried out in Greece showed that a consumption of more than 5 eggs/week does not increase the risk of dyslipidemia when it is integrated into a healthy diet, rich in fibre, low in saturated fats and without dietary intake. excessive energy.
It is indeed important to dissociate the consumption of egg as such and in association with other foods during the meal.
Consuming an egg in the morning accompanied by slices of bacon, rich in saturated fatty acids, white bread rich in sugar, while drinking a milk caté is obviously deleterious… This mixture of sugars, bad fats and food rich in cholesterol represents the explosive cocktail to raise cardiovascular risk (weight gain, triglycerides, inflammation).
Conversely, if we take the example of eating eggs for breakfast, but this time with a slice of buttered organic wholemeal bread, a slice of salmon (rich in omega-3) and herbal tea (without sugar), this time we combine good fats, an interesting intake of vitamins and proteins and little “fast” sugar which would raise blood sugar.
Consuming one or two eggs is then clearly beneficial.
Two eggs, three times a week for breakfast, or one egg, five or six times a week, accompanied by good foods (“slow” sugar, rich in unsaturated lipids) represent good eating habits.
What is a quality egg?
All eggs do not provide the same benefits, due to the rearing conditions of the hens that laid them.
Since 2018, there has been the "egg of France" label and the eggs are marked with the production code, with the number 0, 1, 2, 3. "0" being organic, "1", laid by hens raised in the open. air, “2” by caged hens (9 hens/m2);
“3” per hens in cages (12 hens/m2).
For organic eggs, there are 4 hens per m2, i.e. three times fewer than the “3”…
The food given is also more qualitative for the "organic", with a composition of cereals of which 95% come from organic farming.
Organic eggs are still the only ones where we are sure not to find synthetic dyes.
Even if work is still necessary to demonstrate that the conditions of accommodation (density, rearing in the open air or in cages, on the ground) and food (quality of cereals, vitamins and minerals) affect the nutritional quality of eggs, it It has already been proven that the Omega 3 content is higher in organic eggs from hens fed with flax seeds, which are precisely rich in Omega 3.
What message to retain?
Even though there is no strong link between consumption of foods high in cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease, it cannot be ignored that aside from eggs, most of the foods that contribute to cholesterol in the Western diet are generally high in saturated fats or eaten with foods high in saturated fats combined with fast sugars – which elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A healthier diet (Mediterranean for example) will generally be lower in cholesterol, with typical menus containing less than 300 mg/d.
Regarding egg consumption, healthy people can include up to five or six eggs per week – with a maximum of two per day.
Patients with dyslipidemia, particularly with diabetes mellitus or at risk of heart failure, should remain cautious with foods high in cholesterol, including eggs, and improve their dietary habits.
For this, it is essential to seek advice from a specialist.
For older people with normal blood cholesterol, given their high protein needs, nutritional benefits and convenience of this food, consumption of up to two eggs per day is acceptable (as part of a healthy and balanced diet).
Our "EGGS" file
You have understood: consuming an egg is good for your health... And it is also a good food for our planet since its carbon impact is much lower than that of most other foods from the animal kingdom such as meat. beef !
Health
Food poisoning: How to fight against the five main bacteria responsible for poisoning in France
Health
Veganism: Why vegetable cheeses (often) have more faults than virtues
This analysis was written by
Joffrey Zoll
, lecturer and hospital practitioner in physiology, and
Anouk Charlot
, doctoral student in physiology (both at the University of Strasbourg).
Noa Dadoun
, extern from the University Hospitals of Strasbourg and holder of a Master 1 in biomedicine research, also participated in the writing of this article.
The original article was published on
The Conversation
website .
Access to this content has been blocked to respect your choice of consent
By clicking on "
I ACCEPT
", you accept the deposit of cookies by external services and will thus have access to the content of our partners
I ACCEPT
And to better remunerate 20 Minutes, do not hesitate to accept all cookies, even for one day only, via our "I accept for today" button in the banner below.
More information on the Cookie Management Policy page.
Declaration of interests
● Anouk Charlot has received funding from the University of Strasbourg (Thesis grant).
Health
Video
The Conversation
Egg
Cholera
Cardiovascular illnesses
Allergy
Chicken