The information in the following article has been gathered over a period of years, through classes I’ve taught and anecdotal information. Some references may be missing simply because it has been too many years to have saved them. If the reader is interested in pursuing the information further, the studies mentioned and various others pertaining to the same research can be found by doing an Internet search or through most libraries. I present the following information in hopes of piquing the readers interest in better health.
Back in the early part of the 20th century, a Russian scientist named Anitschkov did a study on rabbits and cholesterol. He wanted to see if feeding rabbits raw cholesterol would raise their levels and increase arterial blockages. He was world renowned for his research projects but apparently didn’t know much about rabbits. Rabbits are vegetarians and seldom, if ever, eat anything that contains more than a trace of cholesterol. Raw cholesterol to a rabbit would seem similar to humans eating a bale of alfalfa. His findings were: eggs would raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels and cause atherosclerosis. An urban legend was born and urban legends die hard.
Some years later another research project was done copying the first with one difference. the cholesterol was not left in the rabbit cages where it was exposed to oxygen and oxidized before being eaten by the rabbits. Raw cholesterol wasn’t likely a staple in those rabbits diet either but the rabbits cholesterol and triglyceride levels were raised only slightly, not much more than would probably be the case from the added stress of being in an unfamiliar setting and being fed cholesterol.
Another study done after the second world war using powdered eggs, found the eggs raised cholesterol levels. I read that research some years ago and don’t remember the exact dates, whether triglyceride levels were also raised and if it was done on humans or lab animals
Why did one study show negative results and another show no significant changes? The answer wasn’t discovered until other studies found egg yolks, which is the part containing the high cholesterol, oxidize rapidly if the membrane that surrounds them is broken. The Russian study was done using cholesterol that was left in the open air and had oxidized. The duplicate study used cholesterol that hadn’t oxidized. The powdered egg study was done with eggs that had oxidized in the powdering process.
What this indicates is that if the egg is eaten poached, sunny side up or in a manner where the yolk isn’t broken and oxidizes, there isn’t a problem. As long as the surrounding membrane is intact, heat doesn’t appear to be a problem. When the heat and a broken membrane are combined, as in scrambled eggs, the cholesterol can oxidize before the egg is eaten.
Eggs, the kind from chickens who are range free and allowed to eat a normal, non-chemical diet, contain large amounts of lecithin. The lecithin in non-factory eggs is more than enough to nullify the cholesterol in a non-oxidized egg.
Eggs have a lot of health benefits but chickens are no different than humans: they are what they eat.
Reference:
- www.larryrmiller.com
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/6114724/cracking_an_egg_for_cooking_with_one.html?c
- www.associatedcontent.com/article/6258040/energy_drinks_and_increased_risk_of.html?ca
