Healthy Eating Club Courses 
Eggs
7.1 Introduction
Eggs are a highly nutritious food as they contain lots of vitamins and minerals in relation to the amount of energy (calories) they provide. Of the high quality protein foods (meat, fish and milk) eggs contain the highest quality protein.
7.2 Eggs and cholesterolEggs contain around 250 to 300 mg of cholesterol per yolk. Expert bodies like the National Health and Medical Research Council (of Australia) and the National Heart Foundation recommend an intake of cholesterol not exceeding 300 mg per day.
1. The effect of the cholesterol from an egg on blood cholesterol levels depends on two factors.
What are these two factors?2. Why is the cholesterol from a cheese omelette likely to be more harmful than the cholesterol eaten from an asparagus omelette?
(Adapted from Food Questions & Answers)Cholesterol from an egg can affect blood cholesterol levels in two waysFirst, there are individual differences in the way people respond to certain foods. For example, some people are allergic to nuts while most are not. Individuals who have high blood cholesterol levels are more likely to show a greater increase for the same amount of cholesterol in food than those whose blood cholesterol levels are initially lower.Secondly, different food habits or patterns can also influence the effect of egg consumption on blood cholesterol levels. Individuals who eat eggs and have a diet that is high in saturated fat are more likely to elevate their cholesterol levels than people who eat eggs and have a diet that's low in saturated fat. For example, if you ate bacon and egg, with toast that's been spread with butter for breakfast most mornings you are more likely to elevate your blood cholesterol levels compared with someone who eats tomatoes and egg with toast that's been spread with Canola margarine.
Food Total fat Saturated fat Egg (one medium - 60 g) 6g 1.8g Slice of cheddar cheese (20g) 6g 4.2g Asparagus (5 spears) 0.05g Nil
