Heart health: Eggs or egg whites
By Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Q: I’m confused about whether or not eating eggs is risky for heart health. Do I really have to stick with egg whites? — Mary F., Oakland, California
A: We think whole eggs are a risk factor for heart disease, even though some nutritionists say otherwise. A 2019 study in JAMA found that each additional half-egg a day is associated with a 6% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and an 8% increased risk of premature death. And now a study in Plos that looked at 16 years’ worth of data on more than half a million folks says every additional 300 mg of cholesterol you consume daily is associated with a 19% increase in your risk of death and each additional half a whole egg daily ups the risk of death by 7%. One egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol — all in the yolk — so an omelet will definitely take you over the top; the recommended daily intake is 300 mg.
But it isn’t predominantly excess cholesterol that makes egg yolks a threat to your vigor. It’s the choline they contain. Now, choline is essential to brain, liver and metabolism, and you need to get it from food (the liver makes a little, but not enough). But you don’t want too much! In excess, and when combined with saturated fat (in an egg yolk, for example), it alters gut bacteria so they produce trimethylamine, which damages blood vessels and ups your risk for heart attack, stroke, many cancers and dementia.
The good news? The study found that egg whites/substitutes were beneficial. Every egg yolk you replace with an egg white/substitute reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases by 3%. That’s because the white of one egg contains virtually no fat, 4 g protein and only 17 calories, along with folate, selenium, calcium magnesium, phosphorus and potassium — and no choline. Check out these recipes: All-Day Egg White Omelet at DoctorOz.com and the four-serving Egg-White Frittata in Dr. Mike’s “What to Eat When Cookbook.”
Q: Six months ago, I started exercising regu- larly. I am 52 and, though it might not have turned me into a hunk yet, it seems to be making me smarter — well, at least a bit sharper and less forgetful. Is that possible? — Marc W., Philadelphia
A: Good for you. Regular exercise at any age has enormous benefits for your whole body. But no benefit is more important than the connection between aerobic fitness and cognition.
Studies have shown that when you exercise regularly, you have better mental health (less depression), stronger decision-making skills (executive function), and are less prone to dementia. You also have better neural function and efficiency because exercise-increased blood flow ups “food delivery” of |glucose and lipids to the brain and increases available oxygen. And the more you exercise, the more physical and cognitive reserves (that is, “backup”) you build up.
So aim for 300 minutes of physical activity weekly,.