How do we go about unscrambling the mixed messaging around eggs and heart health? At the core of this long-standing controversy is the fact that eggs are rich in dietary cholesterol.
So, before we get started, here’s a quick cholesterol primer:
- Our bodies produce blood cholesterol, a waxy fat-like substance, because we need it – it’s part of every cell and it’s used by our bodies to make things like bile acids and hormones. Because our body makes its own cholesterol, we don’t need to get it from the foods we eat.
- Too much blood cholesterol, specifically non-HDL cholesterol, is a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Several factors affect blood cholesterol. These include factors we can’t change, like increasing age, heredity, gender, and family history, and those we can control, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, obesity, and diet.
Diet and Blood Cholesterol
There are two dietary factors that make blood cholesterol rise. The first and most influential is saturated fat, which is naturally occurring, mostly in animal foods. The top sources of saturated fat[1]are cheese; beef; beef tallow, [i]palm, palm kernel, and coconut oils; hotdogs, sausages, lunch meats; and milk (both whole and reduced fat).
The second factor that causes an increase in blood cholesterol to a lesser degree is dietary cholesterol, which is only found in animal products. Foods such as egg yolks, shrimp, squid and cow’s liver are rich sources of dietary cholesterol.
And this is where the egg debate is centered. One whole egg contains approximately 186 mg of dietary cholesterol. Second to meat intake, whole eggs contribute approximately 25%[2]of the dietary cholesterol to the average American intake. So, does this relatively rich source of cholesterol found in egg yolks negatively impact blood cholesterol?
[i] Updated 6/29/26
A Hard-Boiled Look at the Science
Consistent with the 2026 multi-society guideline from the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association (AHA), and partnering organizations, as well as the 2026 AHA Scientific Statement on Dietary Guidance, dietary cholesterol is no longer considered a primary dietary target for most individuals.
Research has demonstrated that the body's absorption of dietary cholesterol varies considerably from person to person due to genetic differences. As a result, limiting cholesterol-containing foods may not be necessary for everyone.
While foods such as egg yolks contain dietary cholesterol, they are often consumed as part of broader dietary patterns that may also include processed meats such as bacon and sausage, refined grains, and other foods associated with poorer cardiometabolic health. For this reason, it can be difficult to separate the effects of a single food from the overall eating pattern.
What Does the Science Say About Eggs?
Eggs are a nutrient-dense food that provide high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients. Current evidence suggests that moderate egg consumption can be incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern for many individuals.
The American Heart Association notes that up to one whole egg per day can fit within a heart-healthy dietary pattern for healthy adults. At the same time, the strongest evidence for cardiovascular health continues to support dietary patterns rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds while limiting foods high in saturated fat and sodium.
For individuals with elevated LDL cholesterol, established cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or inherited lipid disorders, dietary recommendations should be individualized in consultation with their healthcare team. In these situations, attention to the overall dietary pattern—including sources of saturated fat and highly processed foods—remains an important component of cardiovascular risk reduction.
Rather than focusing on a single food, Pritikin emphasizes building a dietary pattern centered on minimally processed plant foods that support healthy cholesterol levels, cardiometabolic health, and long-term disease prevention.
Pritikin has long adhered to eliminating whole eggs as part of its eating plan guidelines. Taking control of all possible contributing dietary factors – like whole eggs – and embracing an overall healthier eating plan is essential for preventing and slowing the progression of heart disease for people with known heart disease.
Shifting to a Healthier Eating Pattern
Instead of focusing on what not to eat, let’s flip the focus towards what to eat. By enjoying more minimally processed whole grains, vegetables and fruits plants, naturally lower in saturated fats and dietary cholesterol, we achieve both goals of eating more health promoting foods and fewer health-detracting foods. This positive focus is addressed in a recent report that advises focusing on adopting a healthy eating pattern overall, versus simply targeting specific foods.
For example, developing a healthier eating pattern could mean transitioning from a standard American breakfast of eggs, bacon, and a bakery pastry to a heart-healthy option like oatmeal with fruit. These small, positive changes really add up – just by making a shift for breakfast, you have reduced your intake of both saturated fat and dietary cholesterol for the day.
Take Heart – with Egg Whites
There is a sunny side up to the egg debate! Egg whites are free of dietary cholesterol and can be enjoyed as a delicious egg white omelet filled with onions, peppers, and tomatoes as a healthy weekend breakfast alternative, or as a fast weeknight meal. Or, enjoy a dish made with egg whites that is low in saturated fat and added salt.
This blog post was updated 6/29/2026
[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3751311/
[2]Xu Z, McClure ST, Appel LJ. Dietary Cholesterol Intake and Sources among U.S Adults: Results from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), 2001⁻2014. Nutrients. 2018;10(6):771. Published 2018 Jun 14. doi:10.3390/nu10060771
[3]Berger S, Raman G, Vishwanathan R, Jacques PF, Johnson EJ. Dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular disease: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015; 102:276-294.doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.100305
[4]Zhong VW, Van Horn L, Cornelis MC, et al. Associations of Dietary Cholesterol or Egg Consumption with Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality. JAMA. 2019;321(11):1081–1095. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.1572https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2728487
.png)
