than people who don’t eat eggs.” Nada. A professor and the for-
mer chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard
T. H. Chan School of Public Health, he’s speaking from years of
careful study, tracking the eating habits of more than 100,000
people at a time. In fact, he’s one of the most cited researchers
in all areas of science. When asked about a study published in
JAMA in 2019 (which sparked headlines suggesting the debate
had yet again been reopened), he said the analysis was weak
and doesn’t change the conclusion based on the overall body
of evidence: that essentially there isn’t a relationship between
the two things. The main exception, and an important one,
appears to be people with diabetes, for whom there is a more
serious increased risk of heart disease associated with eating
eggs too often.
Eggs are packed with vitamins, relatively low in calories,
and very low in saturated fat, and they even provide some
unsaturated fat. They’re also a highly affordable form of pro-
tein—especially compared with meat. Plus, as with everything
we eat, you have to look at food in terms of the full package
of relative goodness it provides, not just through the lens of
nutrient-centrism. Eggs are culturally relevant to many cui-
sines and easy to cook—a hot plate or even a microwave will
do. For all these reasons, they can play an important role in
supporting food security for low-income families, students
living on limited budgets, and many others. Having said this,
the recurring question of “as opposed to what” means that
although eggs are fine, if the goal is to eat for optimal health,
they’re a better breakfast choice than bacon or other processed
meats, as well as sugary cereal and white bread, but not nearly
as good as a breakfast made up of whole grains, nuts, and fruit.
Now that you know that heart health isn’t reason to rain
on eggs’ parade, and you can eat up to an egg a day guilt-free,Stuff That comes from animals 123Conscious Eater_02 PT_4th patches.indd 123 10/23/19 1:31 PM