Cholesterol and eggs

jkennedy2005
jkennedy2005 Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have high cholesterol and my biggest thing is trying to eat foods low in cholesterol. I've gone from eating breakfast out in the morning to giving myself more time in the mornings to eat at home cutting major calories. Now that I am eating at home and prefer 2 eggs over easy cooked in coconut oil but this is adding a high cholesterol count. From going to almost 1000 calories to 350-400 for a full breakfast has been a huge step in the right direction. I don't like the fact that after I eat them I am in the red and have no idea if I should just cut the eggs or add a few more mg's to my cholesterol count?

Replies

  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    Maybe try switching to egg whites instead of the whole eggs and see how that works out.
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    I think you're working with some old/bad information about dietary cholesterol. Whole eggs are probably just fine for you. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cholesterol-food
  • truelight_photo_craig
    truelight_photo_craig Posts: 347 Member
    jlahorn wrote: »
    I think you're working with some old/bad information about dietary cholesterol. Whole eggs are probably just fine for you. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cholesterol-food

    I agree with this. Genetics probably play a larger role in high cholesterol numbers than diet does.

  • mbcieslak87
    mbcieslak87 Posts: 206 Member
    I would definitely ask your doctor; A LOT of data/research recently points to dietary cholesterol having very little impact on blood cholesterol levels overall. I would think that cutting major calories like you've done is much better for you overall than worrying about your cholesterol intake. But ask your doctor (and make sure they are up-to-date on the research too)! You could always do one egg over easy and 2 egg whites (that should keep you in the green by my calculations, if you just hate seeing the red overage).
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    Yup, I agree with the above two posters. Eggs have a perfect ratio of LDL / HDL. They do not cause high cholesterol. Exercise can help you optimize your ratio, so that your health risks become smaller even if the overall cholesterol level is higher than 'recommended'.
  • accidentalpancake
    accidentalpancake Posts: 484 Member
    The title of your post made me hungry.

    Get some blood work done. If you don't have any medical reasons to avoid it, don't worry.
  • jkennedy2005
    jkennedy2005 Posts: 5 Member
    I did the blood work two weeks ago which prompted a much needed change. I guess I am more afraid of not getting the cholesterol down enough before my next blood panel.
  • KombuchaCat
    KombuchaCat Posts: 834 Member
    The lipid hypothesis is totally flawed. I eat copious amounts of bacon, raw dairy, cook with lard/bacon fat/tallow from pasture raised animals. I also eat lots of coconut, basically all the fat I eat is high quality saturated fat accept small amounts of olive oil and maybe some nut oil on a salad. Excess carbs and sugar as well as rancid vegetable oils have more to do with cholesterol levels (even though there is now little evidence that even having high cholesterol is something to worry about) and heart disease. Since I went Primal my cholesterol numbers went from 222 to 202 (I know exactly 20 points LOL) in a year. They wanted to put me on statins in my late twenties...now at 36 doc says keep doing what I'm doing. Eat the yolks, lots of them, cooked in butter, lard or coconut oil, skip the processed carbs and sugar!
  • jkennedy2005
    jkennedy2005 Posts: 5 Member
    mbcieslak87 wrote: »
    I would definitely ask your doctor; A LOT of data/research recently points to dietary cholesterol having very little impact on blood cholesterol levels overall. I would think that cutting major calories like you've done is much better for you overall than worrying about your cholesterol intake. But ask your doctor (and make sure they are up-to-date on the research too)! You could always do one egg over easy and 2 egg whites (that should keep you in the green by my calculations, if you just hate seeing the red overage).

    My doctors suggestion when medication instead of lifestyle change. Thanks for that idea on the one over easy and 2 egg whites. I'll give that a try.
  • accidentalpancake
    accidentalpancake Posts: 484 Member
    Did the Dr. propose any reason for the high numbers? If it's a predisposition or lifestyle related, there are entirely different ways to approach it. Limiting eggs probably won't help in either case, though.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    jlahorn wrote: »
    I think you're working with some old/bad information about dietary cholesterol. Whole eggs are probably just fine for you. http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/cholesterol-food
    And even more recently, there are no longer dietary cholesterol recommendations: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2015/03/02/us-guidelines-dietary-cholesterol-limits.aspx
    Just concentrate on a balanced, calorie deficit diet and exercise.
  • jkennedy2005
    jkennedy2005 Posts: 5 Member
    She thought my carb intake may be the problem, which after keeping track of what I was eating compared to what I am eating now it could have been. I've limited my carb intake to between 15-20 a day.
  • zannestar
    zannestar Posts: 6 Member
    After lots of diet changes and testing, my high cholesterol is not dietary related, but stress and hereditary related. Cutting eggs out did not affect my cholesterol count, although my cardiologist advised I continue my eat-like-a-vegan diet (bummer! I would love a cheeseburger!!). I have eggs almost every morning for breakfast. Instead I'm making lifestyle changes, I meditate, exercise in ways that help me relax, and I'm seeing a therapist for stress management. My numbers are starting to drop, even with the daily egg. Good luck!

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