One egg a day ‘may significantly reduce’ risk of heart disease, stroke

Daily egg consumption may significantly reduce the risk of heart diseases and stroke, says a recent study published in the journal Heart.

A team of researchers from China and the UK set out to examine the association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, major coronary events, haemorrhagic stroke and ischaemic stroke.

Their results showed that daily egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease overall compared with people who did not consume eggs.

In particular, daily egg consumers (up to one egg per day) had a 26 percent lower risk of haemorrhagic stroke,  a 28 percent lower risk of haemorrhagic stroke death and an 18 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease death.

Also, there was a 12 percent reduction in risk of ischaemic heart disease observed for people consuming eggs daily (estimated amount 5.32 eggs per week), when compared with the “never or rarely” consumption category (2.03 eggs per week).

“The present study finds that there is an association between moderate level of egg consumption (up to 1 egg per day) and a lower cardiac event rate,” the authors concluded.

“Our findings contribute scientific evidence to the dietary guidelines with regard to egg consumption for the healthy Chinese adult.”

This was an observational study, so definite conclusions can not be drawn about cause and effect, but the authors said their study had a large sample size and took into account established and potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Previous studies looking at associations between eating eggs and impact on health have been inconsistent.