Low Cholesterol Egg Preparation
- Nutrition
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Low cholesterol egg preparation? You mean there’s a way I can prepare my eggs the low cholesterol way? I’m guessing this would be the question on your mind. Well, before we tackle this knotty issue, it is important to note that cholesterol, dietary cholesterol to be precise, is not entirely unhealthy. As a matter of fact, there is absolutely no need for restricting your intake of cholesterol all in a bid to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
Your body requires cholesterol. As a matter of fact, it is very important for good health. It plays many roles in body physiology, especially in hormone production. Cholesterol also acts as an important component of your cells.
Your body can produce most of the cholesterol that it needs for daily function. But, your intestines can also absorb cholesterol from the diet as well.
Absorption of cholesterol varies greatly and depends on a number of factors, including metabolic health and genetics (1).
Even though dietary cholesterol does not have much impact on an individual’s cholesterol level, some people are naturally very responsive to cholesterol, so, their cholesterol level will get a boost after they consume foods that are rich in cholesterol, such as eggs (2).
Because cholesterol hyper-responders are more sensitive to dietary cholesterol, this population may have to reduce cholesterol intake in order to keep their levels within a healthy range.
That said, research has shown that whole eggs can be enjoyed – moderately – even by people whose cholesterol is already on the high side (3).
That notwithstanding, eggs are rich in cholesterol. One large egg contains approximately 186 mg of cholesterol. All “egg cholesterol” is found in the egg yolk (4).
Now, low cholesterol egg preparation involves preparing your eggs in such a way that it doesn’t load you with cholesterol. What you should do is to reduce your yolk intake by mixing one full egg with one egg white or by preparing just egg whites.
There’s one thing you should note. Reducing your intake of egg yolks will certainly cut down on your intake of dietary cholesterol (for those who are hypersensitive to cholesterol). However, the yolk of an egg is loaded with many nutrients, and so, if you are not hyper-responsive to cholesterol, there should be no reason for you to avoid the egg yolk. As a matter of fact, research has shown that whole eggs contribute to weight loss. It also reduces one’s risk of heart disease (5, 6, 7).
Another way of low cholesterol egg preparation is by using cooking oils and fats that are cholesterol-free. Replace cholesterol-rich fats (like lard & butter) with cholesterol-free fats like avocado oil, and olive oil.
If you are bothered about your cholesterol levels, watch your intake and modify your lifestyle. This is a better and smarter way than cutting down on cholesterol-rich foods like eggs. Intake of natural, nutritious foods, avoiding a sedentary life, and losing fat are better ways of reducing your cholesterol level.
Tonika Bruce, MSN, RN, MBA. is an accomplished nurse leader, published author, and personal development expert passionate about advancing healthcare management and quality patient outcomes.
She taps into the years of experience in healthcare management to produce credible and easy-to-understand health and leadership content. Her exceptional work has been featured in reputable publications, including Forbes, Recruiter, Inc, and the Color of Wellness magazine.
