Eat the Egg or to Not Eat the Egg?

You know how there is this ongoing debate about whether to eat the egg or not eat the egg?

Well darn it, just like I would say, if you like cake, eat the cake. The same goes for eggs, if you like eggs, eat the eggs. But like cake, I wouldn’t recommend you eat it every day. Or if you do, maybe we can look at some improvised ways so its a healthier version. I too enjoy a nice egg over medium on some toast once in a while myself. So what’s the problem? Things are being tossed around about fats and cholesterol… First, let’s see what our body does.

Our liver makes all the cholesterol our body needs. So yes, cholesterol is important, and we couldn’t live without it. But that is where people are getting confused. Even the American Heart Association knows that. We literally make our own cholesterol and anything that comes from dietary cholesterol adds to our already enough cholesterol in the body. I mean, have you ever heard of someone saying they have low cholesterol? Maybe, but it is their “HDL/good cholesterol” they are speaking of. Or you may hear someone say, we need to boost up our cholesterol for our hormones and to be strong. Yup, but it’s the HDL, not LDL. BIG DIFFERENCE! HDL is increased by non-saturated fats from walnuts, avocadoes, olives (not olive oil), chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, etc. That is where people get confused. They think that saturated fat is “essential”. NO! Omega fats are essential (we can’t live without eating them). Essential – meaning, we need to get it from our diets. Saturated fat = not essential for our body (don’t need to get it from our diet). But those selling their products won’t tell you that. When we start consuming saturated fat, that contributes to increased LDL (bad cholesterol). The one that creates plaque in your arteries.

There is so much confusion about fats just like people are confused about carbohydrates. Yaaahh AJ, but the ketogenic diet started to lower my cholesterol. Not for long… It’s starting to go down because you are likely decreasing your overall calories and processed foods. Now over time, when the body starts to regulate from that, it will then start to increase again and also increase your chances of developing diabetes and other conditions. Any smart Cardiologists (I know some) will agree that the ketogenic diet in the social media realm is dangerous. A ketogenic diet was specifically for those with a certain seizure disorder. It’s a very different diet than what is flashed around on social media.

Another breakdown – we know Whole foods are good; partial and processed foods are not. So, oil is not a whole food, it’s the fatty part of what was a whole food. So instead of olive oil, eat the olive. Instead of avocado oil, eat the avocado, instead of coconut oil, eat the coconut. You get the gist. Don’t be afraid of plant-food fats! WE NEED THEM! The fat from the whole food is good for us, just not when a factory processes it into just a concentrated fat. Plus, if you are watching your cholesterol and/or waistline, oil is extremely calorie dense, not nutrient dense surprisingly. Oil contains very little micronutrients with only (sometimes) a little bit of omega 3, but highly dense in saturated fats. Yes, I am happy to discuss the Mediterranean diet too. It wasn’t the olive oil contributing to health…

If you haven’t read my blog on how cholesterol impacts our brain. Read this…https://aj-macomber.com/2022/06/01/how-you-are-helping-your-brain-when-you-exercise/ 

Not only that, 50% of those with normal cholesterol ranges are still showing up (on angiograms) that they are having plaque build-up within their arteries. Uh oh. Major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. What is that due from? Saturated, trans-fat, cholesterol from eggs, dairy, vegetable oils, some processed foods, meats (especially processed meats), and fish.

Most folks may be familiar with the American Heart Association website. They had an article on why cholesterol matters a few years ago that might be helpful. On Cholesterol, they stated- “It is used in the body’s synthesis of various hormones and bile acids. Because it is in every cell, your liver makes all the cholesterol you need and then circulates it through the blood. It cannot dissolve in blood, and so particles known as lipoproteins help transport it from the liver to the cells via the bloodstream.” Here is the link: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol 
For me personally, I started to understand this concept when I studied anatomy and physiology. Then understanding Food-Science which can make it tricky for folks “to keep up with”. Goodness, there are about 24,000 articles published (that may be an understatement) in the English Medical Journal every year as it relates to how food affects our bodies. I get it and we must be vigilant about where we get our information as there’s so much ambiguity. “Fish and shellfish are also significant sources of cholesterol. Three ounces of bass has about 80 milligrams of cholesterol—the same amount found in a 3-ounce steak. Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol can increase the risk for heart disease”. 

Now I’m NOT necessarily advocating for a meat free and processed free diet. We just need to do a lot better if we want to feel better and try our darndest to stay off medications and decrease our chances of disability… I’m not just talking about heart health either…Ill share this – Two out of the many resources that have inspired me and touches upon heart health that I found extremely helpful are –

*Dr. Caldwell B Esselstyne, Jr who became a highly successful doctor at one of the top medical institutions in the world (The Cleveland Clinic). He is a great resource! He presently directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. His work is absolutely jaw-dropping. He has a huge background and was the President of the staff, member of the Board of Governors, chairman of the Breast Cancer Task Force, and head of the Section of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery. “Having published over 100 scientific papers, Dr. Esselstyn was named one of the best doctors in America in 1994-1995”. You can also check him out at: http://www.dresselstyn.com/site/biography/- I would like to get his book that he has out sometime.

*Lastly, another resource of mine is Dr. T Colin Campbell who assembled a world-class scientific team and worked with a leading epidemiologist (in the world) along with other amazing researchers physicians and key scientist who conducted “The China Study” which was and still considered the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted which also has info on heart health and many other chronic disease and cancer information as it relates to nutrition. 
My dream someday is that every Doctor could read the book “The China Study” especially the Revised and Expanded edition. His work validated a lot that I have been studying and has changed my life.
If you would like more resources, just private message me and I would be happy to share more.

REMEMBER: Enjoy the cake and/or enjoy the egg once in a while. What we do on occasion typically isn’t the problem. It is what we do everyday or consistently that creates the compound issue or the great outcome. I hope this helps!

For more references and educational information. Go to NutritionFacts.org.