Are eggs bad for heart health? Cardiovascular surgeon offers a surprising answer

Are eggs bad for your heart?

Dr. Jeremy London, a cardiovascular surgeon in Savannah, Georgia, posed the question to his more than one million followers on social media. His answer may be surprising to some.

London told Fox News Digital that “eggs have gotten a very bad rap” over the years, largely because the American Heart Association (AHA) “slammed eggs” for being a poor source of nutrition and a risk to the heart.

But, London said, “this whole narrative was really watered down” in 2015 because the data “wasn’t corroborated.”

“And that’s because dietary cholesterol really doesn’t affect our total cholesterol as much as we think it does,” he said.

Eggs are a “God-made product” and “an excellent source of protein,” London said.

A regular egg has about 5 to 6 grams of protein — but it’s also “packed with minerals” and “micronutrients” like vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline, London noted.

“So it’s really been proven that it’s not the risk that was originally announced in the ’70s and ’80s,” London said.

“And now it’s actually thought to be a really good food source for individuals.”

The American Heart Association, based in Dallas, Texas, told Fox News Digital that one whole egg a day can be included as part of a heart-healthy diet for healthy adults — while two eggs a day are acceptable. for healthy older adults with normal cholesterol.

In his video, London cautioned that it’s “challenging to study a single food” and “really critical to understanding the whole diet” of an individual.

When it comes to the type of eggs consumed, London said he believes there are “some advantages” to eating eggs produced by free-range chickens.

“I personally think so [has] an impact because, just like ‘we are what we eat,’ everything we put in our mouths are the building blocks for ourselves,” London said.

“The same is true of chickens.”

As for whether the yolk or white is better for your heart, “most of the dietary benefit actually comes from the yolk,” London said.

“I’ll use two eggs and then I’ll add a little bit of egg white to give it more volume and more protein as well,” London said.

“Because I want the nutritional value from the yolk, but I like to have that added protein just because I rely so much on protein in my personal diet.”

Above all, however, London emphasized that it is a personal choice whether or not to eat eggs.

London ended his video with this message to his followers: “Listen to your body, follow your biomarkers, and create a meal plan that’s absolutely right for you.”