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Cholesterol, Eggs Don’t Increase the Risk of Stroke, New Study Finds

Elzy Kolb

Published: May 21, 2019 11:45 am

Last Updated: January 6, 2020 4:28 am

An apple a day may or may not keep the doctor away, but what about a daily egg? Is this tasty breakfast staple a health helper or hazard? There has been conflicting advice over the years about whether to indulge or avoid.

On the positive side, researchers from the University of Eastern Finland recently reported in a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that eating up to one egg daily is not linked with an elevated risk of stroke.

Moderate cholesterol intake such as eating an egg every day is not associated with stroke risk, suggest the results of a 21-year follow up of a study of 1,950 men, 42 to 60 years old, none of whom had pre-existing cardiovascular disease.

The study, conducted in Finland, did not include a large or diverse group of participants. However, a significant number of them carry APOE4, a hereditary variant that affects how cholesterol is metabolized. The variant is common in Finland, where it can be found in as much as one-third of the population.

While dietary cholesterol may not make a big difference in blood serum levels for most people, the effect is greater for APOE4 carriers. But even among the APOE4 carriers in the study, dietary cholesterol and eating eggs did not up the stroke risk ante.

This could be good news for several reasons, including that eggs are a relatively inexpensive source of protein that you can enjoy in moderation — unlike these groceries driving up your food bill the most.

You may even decide to indulge in an occasional breakfast sandwich — these are the best breakfast sandwiches in every state — with a clear conscience while on summer road trips.

Considering that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., it makes sense to be aware of new findings about keeping a healthy heart and recognizing risk factors. It can’t hurt to stay apprised of the latest findings about the impact of diet, mobility and other lifestyle choices that can affect health. For example, be aware of the 28 dangerous things experts link to heart disease.