Eggs could reduce risk of heart disease

• New research shows how eating an egg a day could help prevent heart diseases
• A team of scientists compared people who ate eggs daily to those who ate them rarely or not at all
• After 9 years, people who ate eggs regularly had a 26% lower risk of haemorrhagic stroke, a 28% lower risk of dying from a haemorrhagic stroke, and an 18% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease
• Eggs contain vitamins A, D and E, as well as B12, riboflavin and folate. In addition, there are plenty of minerals including iodine, iron, phosphorus and selenium.

Consumption of up to one egg daily was linked with lower rates of strokes and heart disease, according to the research published in the journal Heart.

Daily consumers also had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease when compared to those who did not eat eggs.

Those who reported consuming eggs on a daily basis were also less likely to die from cardiovascular disease compared to those who did not consume eggs.

Researchers from Beijing’s Peking University analysed data from 461,213 adults who are participating in an ongoing cohort study called The China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) study: http://www.ckbiobank.org/site/

At the start of the study, 13 per cent of participants reported daily consumption of eggs and 9 per cent said they never or rarely ate them.

Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, major coronary events and stroke were measured during the following 9 years. Researchers found daily egg consumers had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to non-consumers. This included an 18% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 26% lower risk of haemorrhagic stroke.

"This present study finds that there is an association between moderate level of egg consumption (up to one egg per day) and a lower cardiac event rate," the authors wrote.

“This large study goes a long way to dispel the long-standing myths that surround eggs and cardiovascular health.  This study should encourage Aussies to look at how they can incorporate more eggs into their diet to maximise the ultimate health benefits they provide,” said Rowan McMonnies, Managing Director of Australian Eggs.

“Given cardiovascular disease  remains a major cause of death and disability for many Australians, we welcome all quality research which helps us better understand the factors which affect these diseases.”

Overall, findings from this large population study of Chinese middle-aged adults suggests that daily egg consumption lowers risk of CVD including heart disease and stroke. Eggs are a nutrient-dense whole food containing at least 11 vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants.

Study Reference: Qin C, Lv J, Guo Y, et al. Associations of egg consumption with cardiovascular disease in a cohort study of 0.5 million Chinese adults. Heart Published Online First: 21 May 2018. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312651

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