It is normal for doubts to arise about whether certain foods are beneficial or harmful to our health, since it is common to find contradictory headlines in this regard and eggs, for example, are one of the foods that have generated the most controversy. Demonized for years as their intake was associated with an increase in cholesterol levels, emphasis has also been placed on their nutritional properties, so consumers no longer know which menu to choose.
Now, a new study led by researchers at Duke University and presented at the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology provides new evidence on fortified eggs – which are eggs enriched with various vitamins or nutrients – that may help clear up doubts. about the relationship of these foods with cholesterol.
In a moderately sized randomized trial, researchers found that fortified eggs did not have a negative impact on bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) or good cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) over the four months of the study. The study was sponsored by Eggland’s Best, a company that produces and sells fortified eggs and which also provided the eggs used in the research.
The study included 140 people aged 50 or older who had suffered at least one cardiac event in the past or had two risk factors for developing cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased BMI or diabetes.
Benefits of fortified eggs for patients with diabetes
The researchers divided the participants into two groups, asking half to consume two or fewer eggs per week for four months. The other half were given fortified eggs (which contained less saturated fat, and additional vitamins and minerals, such as iodine, vitamin D, selenium, vitamin B2, 5, and 12, and omega-3 fatty acids) and were asked to consume 12 per week during the same period.
The results showed a reduction of -0.64 mg/dL and -3.14 mg/dL in HDL cholesterol (the “good”) and LDL cholesterol (the “bad”), respectively, in the group that ate eggs fortified. Although these changes are not significant, a secondary finding suggested that there may be some benefit to consuming fortified eggs for older patients and patients with diabetes. This secondary finding was not statistically significant due to the number of participants in the study, but lead researcher Dr. Robert Mentz, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, says it is a sign interesting that they would like to investigate in future work.
“If we can delve into this area in a larger study, focusing specifically on the type of patients who seem to have experienced some benefit, and over a longer period of time, we could see if it is possible for fortified eggs to improve cholesterol,” Mentz said.
The first author of the study, Dr. Nina Nouhravesh, a cardiology fellow at the Duke Clinical Research Institute, explained that although the study “was modest in size, it included a broadly generalized population.” “The average age of participants was 66, half were women, and more than 25% identified as African American.”
“If we can focus specifically on the type of patients who seem to have experienced some benefit we could see if it is possible that fortified eggs improve cholesterol.”
Mentz has expressed a desire to conduct a larger study that evaluates clinical outcomes, particularly when considering the issue of equity and food access, as “there are disparities in food access.” “People who are more socially disadvantaged (and who probably have more cases of high blood pressure and diabetes) often have less access to healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.”
“These foods – he adds – have a limited shelf life, as they can decompose quickly. Fortified eggs can be stored safely in the refrigerator for longer periods. Investigating the possible health benefits of an easily accessible and less time-limited food is something we should be doing.”
“I think we’re in an exciting time where people think about food as medicine,” Mentz said. “Some foods are fortified and nutritionally optimized before being distributed, similar to medications, so it is exciting to apply the same rigor that is applied in drug trials to food science,” concludes the researcher.
