Health Concerns with Eggs

About 60 percent of the calories in eggs are from fat—much of which is saturated fat. Eggs are also loaded with cholesterol—about 200 milligrams for an average-sized egg. That’s more than double the amount in a Big Mac. Fat and cholesterol contribute to heart disease. One study found that people who ate the most eggs had 80 percent higher coronary artery calcium scores (a measure of heart disease risk) compared with those who ate the fewest eggs. A study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that those who eat the most eggs have a 19 percent higher risk for cardiovascular problems.

Eating a diet high in fat can contribute to insulin resistance. A review of 14 studies published in the journal Atherosclerosis showed that those who consume the most eggs increase their risk for diabetes by 68 percent. Another review found similar results: a 39 percent higher risk of diabetes in people who eat three or more eggs per week.

Egg consumption also increases the risk of gestational diabetes, according to two studies in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Eating eggs has also been connected to developing certain types of cancer such as colon, rectal, and prostate.