Those who reported consuming up to six eggs per week showed a 29 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related death.
Regularly consuming eggs could be linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related deaths among older adults, according to a new study.
Researchers from Monash University in Australia followed over 8,700 adults aged 70 years or older.
Those who reported consuming between one and six eggs per week showed a 15 per cent lower risk of death from any cause compared to those who ate eggs twice a month or less.
They also showed a 29 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, according to the results published in the journal Nutrients.
“Our results suggest that eating up to six eggs a week may reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular-related diseases (CVD) in older adults,” Holly Wild, a lecturer in epidemiology and preventive medicine at Monash University, said in a statement.
“These findings may be beneficial in the development of evidence-based dietary guidelines for older adults”.
Benefits of eating eggs
Eggs are a source of protein and essential nutrients, such as B vitamins, folate, unsaturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins (E, D, A, and K), choline, and numerous minerals, she added.
However, consuming eggs has long been considered a concern for people with high cholesterol, a condition which can lead to blocking the blood vessels making people more likely to have heart problems or a stroke.
Therefore, the team conducted further research into people with clinically diagnosed high cholesterol, called dyslipidemia.
“We found a 27 per cent lower risk of CVD-related death for participants with dyslipidemia who consumed eggs weekly, compared to their counterparts that consumed eggs rarely or never, suggesting that in this study cohort, the presence of dyslipidemia does not influence the risk associated with egg consumption,” Wild said.
“Our results suggest that eating up to six eggs a week may reduce the risk of death from all causes and cardiovascular-related diseases in older adults. These findings may be beneficial in the development of evidence-based dietary guidelines for older adults,” she added.
The European guidelines vary from country to country but a review by the American Heart Association published in 2020 concluded that healthy individuals could eat seven eggs a week safely.
Source: euronews
