For most healthy adults, it's safe to eat 1–2 eggs a day depending on how much other cholesterol is in your diet. If you already have high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease, it may be best to eat no more than 4–5 eggs per week.
Eggs are also a great source of heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate and B vitamins. Some research suggests that up to two eggs per day actually improves heart health. As with anything, moderation is important, especially if you enjoy eggs daily.
The American Heart Association recommends up to one egg a day for most people, fewer for people with high blood cholesterol, especially those with diabetes or who are at risk for heart failure, and up to two eggs a day for older people with normal cholesterol levels and who eat a healthy diet.
Eggs Have Cholesterol—That's Not Necessarily Bad
While cholesterol isn't bad, having too much can build up in your body and put you at a higher risk for heart problems.
A number of studies suggest that about one egg a day has no adverse effect on health outcomes. A study in my lab found that eating two eggs daily for six weeks also had no harmful effects in healthy adults, and we are even seeing similar results in people with high cholesterol.
Three eggs a day is perfectly fine to eat, but it is important to look at the rest of the diet. If your background diet is high in saturated fat this can affect the degree to which blood cholesterol is increased when more dietary cholesterol is eaten.
Chicken eggs are an affordable source of protein and other nutrients. They're also naturally high in cholesterol. But the cholesterol in eggs doesn't seem to raise cholesterol levels the way some other foods, such as those high in trans fats and saturated fats, do.
So, enjoy eggs in your weekly diet, but like everything in life, moderation is key. If you are in general good health, seven eggs per week should be fine.
Poached Eggs
Based on the goals of getting the most nutrients out of your eggs with the least risk of oxidizing cholesterol, poaching is the number one healthiest way to cook and eat eggs.
Eating eggs, particularly for breakfast, can be an excellent addition to a healthy weight loss diet. Eggs do not aid in weight gain; what aids in weight gain is a caloric surplus. If you consume more eggs than your maintenance calories, you will be in a caloric surplus and will gain weight.
Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without affecting their heart health. Some choose to eat only the egg white and not the yolk, which provides some protein without the cholesterol.
Eggs are also loaded with cholesterol—about 200 milligrams for an average-sized egg. That's more than double the amount in a Big Mac. Fat and cholesterol contribute to heart disease. A 2021 study found that the addition of half an egg per day was associated with more deaths from heart disease, cancer, and all causes.
For most people, eating eggs won't have a significant effect on your blood cholesterol, and they're good for you too.
As with many foods, it's very possible to overdo egg consumption and end up in dire need of a good couch-lay while your stomach churns. Heather Hanks explained that overeating eggs "may cause digestive upset—such as bloating, gas, or abdominal pain."
Six eggs a day is a hell of a lot, no matter how you cut it. An egg has 187 mg of cholesterol, and the recommended limit is 300 mg per day—or only 200 mg if you have diabetes or risk factors for heart disease. “You can definitely go with with one egg a day,” says Maxine Smith, R.D., L.D.
If you have high LDL cholesterol levels, overweight or obesity, a chronic disease like diabetes, or a family history of heart disease, it may be best to eat no more than 1 egg per day or 4–5 eggs per week.
Also, the health benefits from eggs in regard to minerals outweigh that of meat. So, when looking at egg protein or meat protein, balance is key. Meat outweighs eggs in protein content per gram, but eggs provide a more versatile and healthier component to consuming protein.
They're also one of the best foods for shrinking belly fat. In addition to being chock-full of weight loss-promoting vitamins and minerals, eggs are low in calories and high in protein, which means they will help keep you full.
While recent studies still don't offer a consistent answer, the average healthy person likely suffers no harm from eating up to seven eggs per week. In fact, eggs are a nutritious food. They are relatively low in calories and saturated fat, and rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
“For people who suffer from high cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes or heart disease, we recommend fewer than seven eggs per week as evidence suggests that eating more eggs may increase your risks for heart disease and stroke.”
Eggs are a nutritious protein source and a staple in many people's diets. Though they're high in cholesterol, they also have many health-promoting qualities. For healthy adults, eating 1–2 eggs a day appears safe, as long as they're consumed as part of an overall nutritious diet.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Add whey protein. Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy.
For most people, eggs will not have an impact on their blood cholesterol levels or overall health. People who do not want to include eggs in their diet can use a range of egg alternatives.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
Consuming too many eggs in a day is believed to increase the level of bad cholesterol in the body. It is because of the presence of a high amount of cholesterol in the egg yolks. One egg yolk contains approximately 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol and its daily recommended level is not more than 300 mg per day.