Eggs and vegetables are good sources of carotenoids. (Photos.com)
I told him that he was suffering from “cholesterolphobia,” he should upgrade his thinking about eggs, and that if he would order the same breakfast, it would decrease his risk of heart disease and macular degeneration.
I’ve written for years that we should trust farmers, hens, and cows and cast a suspicious eye at manufactured, processed foods. I have not changed my mind after many years of research.
Blaming farmers and hens for the epidemic of heart disease is like blaming the iceberg for sinking the Titanic. It was a foolish captain who sank the Titanic, and it is ill-informed people who blame heart disease on a ham-and-eggs breakfast. They should point fingers at the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and a lack of exercise that are responsible for making heart disease the number-one killer.
So what evidence will make my friend stop worrying about a ham-and-eggs breakfast? A study conducted by Harvard University followed 120,000 people for 14 years. It concluded that there was no correlation between egg consumption and the risk of heart disease. In fact, those who consumed two or more eggs per day had almost the same risk of heart disease as those who consumed no eggs at all.
Besides, today’s eggs are healthier than at any other time in history. Humans are what they eat, and similarly chickens are what they’re fed. For instance, Naturegg Omega Pro eggs are nutritionally enhanced by feeding chickens an all-natural, flax-based diet with a small amount of fish oil, alfalfa, and corn. This provides an abundant source of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are not produced by the human body. But they’re essential for cardiovascular health in a number of ways. For instance, they keep blood platelets well-oiled, decreasing the risk of blood clots in coronary arteries.
Studies show that death from heart attack may also be associated with inflammation caused by too much homocysteine in the blood. Vitamins B6, B9 [folic acid], and B12 found in eggs help to reduce the level of homocysteine.
My friend, by denying eggs, was also losing another important benefit. Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that helps decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This disease affects central vision and is the leading cause of blindness for people over 65 years of age. It’s a devastating problem that makes it impossible to drive a car, read a book, or see grandchildren smile.
Dr. John Landrum, at Florida International University, Miami, is a world authority on macular pigments. He reports that lutein and zeaxanthin are two pigments in the macula. His studies show that patients with the highest intakes of lutein and zeaxanthin had 43 percent less chance of developing macular degeneration.
Another study from the National Institute of Health also found that those with the lowest level of carotenoids had the highest risk of AMD.
Dr. Linda Nebeling of the National Cancer Institute has presented data that shows the overall decline of lutein intake. This decrease in dietary lutein was particularly striking in those groups at risk of macular degeneration. For instance, from 1987 to 1992, lutein intake has decreased by 16 percent in women of all ages and in men and women aged 40 to 69.
Researchers believe that lutein and zeaxanthin protect the macula by absorbing harmful blue light rays from the sun’s rays. In addition, they act as antioxidants that neutralize free radicals, the end products of metabolism that are believed to cause aging.
Egg yolks, many fruits, and vegetables are good sources of lutein and zeaxanthin.
Today cholesterolphobia has made many people, including my friend, shy away from farm products that have stood the test of time. But the next time we meet, I believe he’ll also order ham and eggs for breakfast.
Dr. Gifford-Jones is a medical journalist with a private medical practice in Toronto.
His Web site is Mydoctor.ca/gifford-jones