Eggs are among the most nutritious foods out there, yet they have a bad reputation because of their high cholesterol. It’s still quite common for doctors to tell you to eat only one egg a day because of that but what is cholesterol and how bad is it really?

 

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of lipid molecule and an essential structural component of all animal cell membranes – yes, that includes humans too. It is essential to maintain both membrane structural integrity and fluidity.

“A human male weighing 68 kg (150 lb) normally synthesizes about 1 gram (1,000 mg) per day, and his body contains about 35 g, mostly contained within the cell membranes.” – Wikipedia

Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, acids such as bile acids in order for you to digest and absorb fats, and vitamin D. Cholesterol is actually produced by your body, your liver and intestines to be more specific. Interestingly enough, your body’s production of cholesterol exceeds any contribution from cholesterol you take in via food.

Why Are High Cholesterol Levels Bad?

Cholesterol cannot be dissolved and needs to be transported through the blood stream. That is handled by two types of carrier cells consisting of fat and protein (therefore called lipoproteins).

LDL Cholesterol

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol is considered the “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to plaque inside your arteries. Plaque is a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries and make them less flexible – known as atherosclerosis. If such a clot blocks an already narrowed artery, it can lead to heart attack and strokes. It also limits the blood flow to your limbs and makes your arteries more stiff.

HDL Cholesterol

HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol on the other hand is is considered “good” cholesterol. It helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries and carries it back to the liver where it is broken down and passed from the body. A healthy level of HDL cholesterol may also protect against heart attack and stroke, while low levels of HDL cholesterol  have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease.

As high cholesterol levels come with high LDL levels in many cases, the risk of heart issues and stroke increase. That’s why high cholesterol levels are considered unhealthy and a precursor for cardiovascular disease.

Where’s The Science At?

In late 2014 the Scientific Advisory Panel for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans got together and they came to the conclusion that Cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.

The reason why is that researchers have come to the conclusion that dietary cholesterol intake doesn’t affect the cholesterol in your bloodstream significantly. And that’s the cholesterol that matters. If the cholesterol in your bloodstream is high, you are at a higher risk for all kinds of diseases as mentioned above but as the dietary cholesterol doesn’t impact your cholesterol levels that much and your body already produces more than you take in through your diet anyway, it doesn’t matter how much cholesterol you consume.

Changes in the Dietary Guidelines For Americans

Very interest though is that the USDA finally released new dietary guidelines in 2015 in which they explicitly recommend to limit the amount of sugar.

“Less than 10 percent of calories per day from added sugars. ChooseMyPlate.gov provides more information about added sugars, which are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. This does not include naturally occurring sugars such as those consumed as part of milk and fruits” – HHS and USDA release note

Again for reference, less than 10 percent means less than 200-300 kcal depending on your height, weight, gender, activity level etc. In comparison, one can of coke comes in at 39g of added sugar, that’s already 160 kcal just from one can. Add a Frappuccino at Starbucks and boom, you are way over your daily budget.

Conclusion

Cholesterol in and of itself is not bad but essential for humans and other animals to survive. Your body creates cholesterol and your dietary cholesterol intake only partially impacts the cholesterol in your bloodstream.

The US Dietary Guidelines finally realize that not food high in cholesterol but food with high sugar contents are the culprit. Enjoy your eggs add even some bacon but stay away from sugar.