Eggs: they’re tasty and nutritious, but for a long time now they’ve been considered a contributor to high cholesterol and heart disease. Recent studies are starting to challenge this assumption, giving egg-lovers reason to celebrate.

Cholesterol and Your Food

Dieticians and doctors have longed warned their patients against eating foods high in cholesterol, including shrimp and eggs. However, new advice from the scientific advisory panel for the 2015 version of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are putting forward a different view. At the committee’s 2014 meeting, it was decided that cholesterol was no longer considered a “nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

Part of this change in attitude comes from a better understanding of how the cholesterol in food impacts the cholesterol in the bloodstream. While many dieters have a negative view of cholesterol, in reality this type of fat is crucial for building cell membranes, protecting nerve fibers, producing oxygen, and absorbing nutrients. It’s such an important substance that the body creates it on its own in quantities that far outweigh the amount consumed through food.

New Attitudes Towards Eggs

This new understanding of dietary cholesterol’s impact on health adds more backing to a change in attitude towards eggs. For decades consumers have been told that eggs’ high levels of cholesterol make them dangerous for those at risk of heart disease. However, studies conducted in 1999 and 2006 show that eating one egg a day does not cause healthy individuals to have a higher risk of heart disease. Eggs are high in a number of important nutrients, including vitamins B12 and D, folate, and riboflavin, and also offer a concentrated, balanced protein “package” without requiring too many calories.

Cholesterol and Heart Disease

Much of the concern over cholesterol stems from its association with heart disease. So-called “bad” cholesterol can lead to plaque build-up on artery walls, which increases a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke. Other dietary substances, such as trans-fat and saturated fat, cause similar types of damage. However, their role in heart disease risk is often greater than cholesterol, making them a more pressing issue for anyone making changes in their diet.

Keeping Up with Changes in Nutritional Science

Changes in dietary guidelines can make it difficult to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family. While it might seem as though researchers and clinicians are “flip-flopping” on what foods they recommend, these kinds of changes come about as a result of new science and a gradually improving understanding of how food and our bodies interact. It can be frustrating to keep up with the newest nutritional science and to try to translate it into a healthier menu for ourselves and our families. However, having a qualified chiropractor on your side can help you take advantage of the most reliable science. Chiropractic care treats each patient as a whole, and dietary choices are an important part of their overall approach to health and wellness. Your chiropractor can work with you to help you decide which foods (perhaps including eggs) will be most healthful for you and your family