Eggs
Eggs
| Author: Lynne Lyons MPH, RD, CDE |
| Last Updated: Monday, May 29, 2006 |
Q: "I have heard that diabetics should avoid eggs more than non-diabetics. Is this true? Is this due to cholesterol, because that would make egg-white omelets OK, or should egg-whites also be avoided?"
A: Your question expresses a common misconception. The poor egg gets bashed a lot, and naturally the egg council gets upset as it feels it is being unfairly targeted.
A large egg contains 4.5 grams of fat (1.5 of which is saturated fat), and 213 milligrams of cholesterol, 22 percent less than previously thought based on a 1989 study. Additionally, eggs contain 70 calories each. The American Heart Association recommends that you limit your average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams.
Because individual needs vary, I must encourage you to ask your doctor to refer you to a dietitian.
General Guidelines
- Consider the option of using one egg yolk with 1-2 additional egg whites as a healthier alternative.
- Be aware that egg whites do not contain cholesterol or fat--so you are not restricted in the use of egg whites.
- Egg Beaters® is another choice, but for those of you on sodium restricted diets, be aware that this product contains sodium.
- The American Diabetes Association's web site on healthy food choices recommends that you limit eggs to 3 or 4 per week-but also note that this recommendation is the same for people without diabetes.
- Remember that eggs need to be cooked to avoid possible salmonella infections.
- It is true that people with diabetes need to be especially careful in their eating habits because they have a much greater risk for and incidence of heart disease.
What I hope you have learned is that yes, eggs should be limited in people with diabetes, but also even in the general public. More importantly, however, is the point that there are many other foods that contain fat, cholesterol, and/or trans fats that also should be used in moderation.
It is very confusing trying to sort this all out. So again I want to emphasize how important it is to consult a dietitian who can work in concert with your doctor to help design an individualized meal plan most appropriate for you.
Related Questions
Food Borne Illness
Q:
"I read something about food poisoning and picnics; is this of any special
concern since I have diabetes?"
Trans Fats
Q:
"What are Trans Fats?"
Related Links
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
http://www.diabetes.org
American Heart Association (AHA)
http://www.americanheart.org
The USDA Food Pyramid
http://www.mypyramid.gov
American Egg Board
http://www.aeb.org
Important Notice: The responses provided by the team of Diabetes Educators are based on their personal experiences and expertise as practicing diabetes healthcare professionals, and are not to be considered diabetes management advice from Abbott Laboratories. Remember that information provided by the team of Diabetes Educators is for general background purposes and is not intended as a substitute for medical diagnosis or treatment by a trained professional. You should always consult your physician about any healthcare questions you may have, especially before trying a new medication, diet, fitness program, or approach to healthcare issues.
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