Healthy eggs?

[mccoy]

I just read this short, very recent article.

 

Consuming Two Eggs per Day, as Compared to an Oatmeal Breakfast, Decreases Plasma Ghrelin while Maintaining the LDL/HDL Ratio

 

It is interesting in that during the 4-weeks clinical trial two different groups consumed 2 eggs a day for breakfast versus a bag (weight?) of oatmeal.

 

By comparing the blood analyses and especially the lipids after 4 weeks of the two groups, the means display very little difference (the authors write that TC is higher in the eggs eaters, but I couldn't see a great difference, unless the units are tricky). 

Plasma ghrelin was a little lower in the eggs eaters (less hunger) but, as far as I could see in the graph, the difference is small.

 

The article cites a host of 'pro-eggs' references which I didn't lookup.

 

In a blog, written by a knowledgeable pro-plant nutritionist time ago (don't remember exactly which one), I saw quite a few 'anti-eggs' articles, where a very small amount of eggs in clinical trials apparently caused a substantial plasma cholesterol increase.

 

Personally I'm neutral, not an ethical vegan nor an egg fanatic, but I'd just like to know if eggs, an unexpensive and dense food, pose a real health hazard because of cholesterol and other obnoxious compound and in which quantities.  In terms of mere dietary restriction, I doubt that one egg a day (6 grams of proteins and 1.6 grams SAFA) would pose any hazard whatsoever. 

 

The fact that technical literature appears to say one thing and its opposite at the same time does not help much.

[Burak]

If I replace something from my diet for 2 eggs, I would increase my methionine intake at least 40% which is a no no. I also see nothing to gain from eggs as a nutritional point of view. As a condiment i.e. adding to my annual birthday cake, I see no problem

[TomBAvoider]

Eggs in the human diet are a victim of advocacy science, so good luck trying to get a consensus. Even chasing down things like TMAO drops you into a rabbit hole and when you consider individual variability and gut biota impact, it may be that we simply don't have enough information that's useful on an individual level recommendations. It may be healthy/unhealthy for you versus somebody else. 

[mccoy]

Burak I just checked, 2 large cooked eggs are 61% of my methionine RDA and 116% of cystine. Of course, if we follow methionine restriction (which includes cystine I'f I'm not wrong) then eggs (IF we wish to include them) should be consumed separately from other protein sources. 

 

Providing, like TA says, we ascertain our individual tolerance to eggs, a reasoned scheme of moderate intake probably should not hurt.

 

The above has anedoctal value only unfortunately since science seems far from having reached conlcusive evidence. 

 

I rarely feel the need to eat eggs but I find the subject fascinating considering such an extraordinary difference in scientific conclusions.

[Burak]

Almost all association type studies I saw, if you increase egg consumption high enough, you will always get increased hazard ratios, but the opposite is not true for whole grains. You can even construct perfectly healthy diet with just whole grains and add 1 or 2 vegetables then you are good to go. If you do that with eggs, you are dead meat. We even don't know how much we need to moderate eggs in order not to get the negative effects from them. The best strategy, to me, is not to eat them if I have the option.

 

Fiber also makes a lot of different between eggs and whole grains. AAs from eggs are all absorbed before it reaches to colon bacteria, on the other hand as you know we cannot digest all the protein from plant foods. Especially gluten protein and cystine AA in whole gains provides perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. Even an effect between oatmeal vs. 4 grains cereal for gut bacteria is significant, at least for me. When I switch to 4 grains (wheat, barley, rye, oat) cereal from just plain oatmeals, my stool becomes more bulky and increases in volume almost all the time. I did these kind of substitutions for lots of breakfast alternatives for controlling fiber content but gluten containing whole grains are by far the best.

[mccoy]

Burak, whole grains have the indisputable advantage of low cost. Even when organic. Unfortunately, not all people handle well high amounts of starch. I'm one of'em. 

Good-quality 6 grains organic fruit muesli with milk (soy or cow) is an exceptionally nourishing and complete meal at a very reasonable cost. I just tried that out for a while but it inevitably bloats my stomach. 

But I'm in the process of increasing my cereals now, optimizing their quantities. I handle better simple sugars like fruit.