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A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 19 March 2019

Are eggs good or bad for you? New research rekindles debate

By LINDSEY TANNER with lean meat, poultry,
AP Medical Writer beans and nuts. Nutrition
The latest U.S. research on experts say the new study
eggs won’t go over easy is unlikely to change that
for those who can’t eat advice.
breakfast without them. BOTTOM LINE
Adults who ate about 1 ½ Dr. Frank Hu of Harvard Uni-
eggs daily had a slightly versity noted that most pre-
higher risk of heart disease vious studies have shown
than those who ate no that eating a few eggs
eggs. The study showed the weekly is not linked with
more eggs, the greater the risks for heart disease in
risk. The chances of dying generally healthy people.
early were also elevated. “I don’t think that this study
The researchers say the cul- would change general
prit is cholesterol, found in healthy eating guidelines”
egg yolks and other foods, that emphasize fruits, veg-
including shellfish, dairy etables, whole grains, nuts
products and red meat. and beans and limiting pro-
The study focused on eggs cessed meats and sugar,
because they’re among Hu said. Eggs, a breakfast
the most commonly eaten staple for many, can be
cholesterol-rich foods. They included but other options
can still be part of a healthy In this May 14, 2008 file photo, cartons of eggs are displayed for sale in the Union Square green should also be considered,
diet, but in smaller quanti- market in New York. “like whole grain toast with
ties than many Americans Associated Press nut butter, fresh fruits, and
have gotten used to, the eggs. er participants ate eggs ing no more than 300 milli- yogurt,” Hu said.
researchers say. The researchers based hard-boiled, poached, grams of cholesterol daily; Dr. Rosalind Coleman, a
U.S. dietary guidelines that their conclusions on what fried, or scrambled in but- one egg contains about professor of nutrition and
eased limits on cholesterol participants said they ate ter, which she said could 186 milligrams. pediatrics at the University
have helped eggs make a at the start of each study. affect health risks. Newer research ques- of North Carolina, offered
comeback. They took into account Some people think ‘”I can tioned that relationship, broader advice.
The study has limitations high blood pressure, smok- eat as many eggs as I finding that saturated fats “The main message for the
and contradicts recent ing, obesity and other traits want’” but the results sug- contribute more to un- public is not to select a sin-
research, but is likely to re- that could contribute to gest moderation is a better healthy levels of blood gle type of food as ‘bad’
kindle the long-standing heart problems. Risks were approach, she said. cholesterol that can lead or ‘good’ but to evaluate
debate about eggs. found with eggs and cho- THE DEBATE to heart problems. your total diet in terms of
The new results were pub- lesterol in general; a sepa- Eggs are a leading source The latest U.S. government variety and amount.
lished online Friday in the rate analysis was not done of dietary cholesterol, nutrition guidelines, from “I’m sorry if it seems like a
Journal of the American for every cholesterol-rich which once was thought 2015, removed the strict boring recommendation,”
Medical Association. food. to be strongly related to daily cholesterol limit. While she added, but for most
THE STUDY Dr. Bruce Lee of Johns Hop- blood cholesterol levels eating as little cholesterol people, the most impor-
Researchers at Northwest- kins University, said nutrition and heart disease. Older as possible is still advised, tant diet advice “should
ern University’s Feinberg studies are often weak be- studies suggesting that link the recommendations say be to maintain a healthy
School of Medicine and cause they rely on people led to nutrition guidelines eggs can still be part of a weight, to exercise, and to
elsewhere pooled results remembering what they almost a decade ago that healthy diet, as a good get an adequate amount
from six previous studies, ate. recommended consum- source of protein, along of sleep.”q
analyzing data on almost “We know that dietary re-
30,000 U.S. adults who self-
reported daily food intake. Lee. The new study offers Japan to make crater on asteroid to
call can be terrible,” said
Participants were followed only observational data
for roughly 17 years, on av- but doesn’t show that eggs get underground samples
erage. and cholesterol caused
The researchers calculated heart disease and deaths, a distant asteroid with an- April 5 to collect samples
that those who ate 300 mil- said Lee, who wasn’t in- other risky mission — drop- from deeper underground
ligrams of cholesterol daily volved in the research. ping an explosive on the as- that have not been ex-
— about 1 ½ eggs — were Senior author Norrina Allen, teroid to make a crater and posed to the sun or space
17 percent more likely to a preventive medicine spe- then collect underground rays.The mission will require
develop heart disease cialist, noted that the study samples for possible clues the spacecraft to move
than whose who didn’t eat lacks information on wheth- to the origin of the solar quickly to the other side of
system. Hayabusa2 made the asteroid so it won’t get
history on Feb. 22 when it hit by flying shards from the
successfully touched down blast, JAXA project engi-
on the boulder-strewn as- neer Takanao Saeki said. “It
Associated Press teroid and collected some will be very challenging.”
By MARI YAMAGUCHI surface fragments. While moving away, Haya-
Associated Press The Japan Aerospace Ex- busa2 will leave a camera
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s ploration Agency said Hay- to capture the outcome.
space agency said Mon- abusa2 will drop an impac- The spacecraft is to wait a
day that its Hayabusa2 tor the size of a baseball few weeks before returning
spacecraft will follow up weighing 2 kilograms (4.4 to the area above the cra-
last month’s touchdown on pounds) on the asteroid on ter for observations.q