Eggs are nutrient-dense food that contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A new meta-analysis showed that daily egg intake could reduce stroke risk by 12 percent.
Highlights
- Eggs are a low-cost and nutrient-dense food that provides essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and protein.
- Eggs have been eliminated in the diet to reduce dietary cholesterol to prevent coronary heart disease and stroke.
- A meta-analysis found that consumption of one egg a day can reduce the risk of stroke by 12 percent.
Egg Consumption and Stroke Risk
Eggs are a low-cost and nutrient-dense food that provides high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, choline, vitamins, and minerals. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted between the years 1982 and 2015, evaluated the relationships between egg consumption and CHD and stroke.Dr. Dominik Alexander of the EpidStat Institute, Ann Arbor, MI, who conducted the review, noted that mechanistic work is needed to understand the link between egg intake and stroke risk. “Eggs do have many positive nutritional attributes, including antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. They are also an excellent source of protein, which has been related to lower blood pressure.” One large egg provides about 6 grams of high-quality protein, vitamins A, D, and E and antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin.
The research supports the recently-released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that placed no daily limit on dietary cholesterol and included eggs among lean protein choices. The research also adds evidence on a 2015 meta-analysis that dietary cholesterol have no association with cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease and stroke.
"This systematic review and meta-analysis underscores prior research, showing the lack of a relationship between eggs and heart disease and now suggests a possible beneficial effect of eating eggs on risk of stroke," Tia M. Rains, PhD, Interim Executive Director of the Egg Nutrition Center, the scientific research arm of the American Egg Board.
The study is published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Stroke Prevention Diet
- Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day in the form of a salad.
- Opt for lean meats without skin or fat and avoid bacon, and red meat.
- Oily fishes such as salmon and trout contain omega-3 fatty acids and protein.
- Choose whole-grain foods over refined products for essential nutrients and fiber.
- Limit the intake of saturated and trans fats by preferring low-fat milk
- Avoid butter, margarine and lard in cooking, instead, use canola and olive oil.
- Cut down on sodium by substituting with herbs and spices.
- Reduce the intake of added sugars such as white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses.
- Meta Analysis of Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke - (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27710205)
- Eating a Stroke-Prevention Diet - (https://dignityhealth.org/articles/Eating-a-Stroke-Prevention-Diet-How-Food-Can-Reduce-Your-Risk)
- Eating Well After a Stroke - (http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/stroke/hic_Eating_Well_After_a_Stroke)
Source-Medindia