Experts at Experimental Biology examine dietary cholesterol, egg intake and heart disease risk

Dispelling myths surrounding dietary cholesterol

2011-04-14

(Press-News.org) Park Ridge, IL (April 13, 2011) – This week at Experimental Biology (EB) 2011 in Washington, D.C., long-standing beliefs about dietary cholesterol intake and cardiovascular disease risk were examined as part of a scientific symposium and a variety of poster presentations. Experts from leading institutions discussed existing and emerging science regarding dietary cholesterol intake and its association with heart disease risk, dispelling some commonly heard myths.

Established research has shown that saturated fat intake may be more likely to raise a person's blood cholesterol than dietary cholesterol intake (1,2). The distinguished panel of EB symposium speakers examined other factors impacting heart disease risk including refined carbohydrate intake, dietary cholesterol metabolism in the body and the effect of egg intake on blood vessels (3).

Dietary Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk Many Americans avoid dietary cholesterol for fear of increasing their risk for heart disease. Research discussed at EB, including a review published in Current Atherosclerosis Reports, shows that major national epidemiological studies do not support a relationship between increased dietary cholesterol intake and incidence of coronary heart disease (4).

"European countries, Asian countries and Canada do not have an upper limit recommendation for dietary cholesterol," says EB symposium presenter and University of Connecticut professor Dr. Maria Luz-Fernandez. "This session gives the scientific community the opportunity to re-examine years of controversial data regarding dietary cholesterol and how the medical community should talk with consumers about dietary cholesterol containing foods."

Lower-Cholesterol Eggs and Dietary Cholesterol Consumption Experts from the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) presented new nutrition data that indicates eggs are now lower in cholesterol. The USDA-ARS study found that one large egg contains 185 mg of cholesterol (down from 215 mg), 14 percent lower than previously reported on Nutrition Facts panels. The analysis also revealed that large eggs now contain 41 IU of vitamin D, an increase of 64 percent (5). This analysis was based on a nationwide sampling of large eggs and the complete nutrient analysis is available on the nutrient data lab website at www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata.

A follow-up study funded by USDA-ARS examined how the new nutrient analysis of eggs impacts the overall dietary cholesterol profile of the American diet. Data from the What We Eat in America food consumption survey shows that among egg-eaters average dietary cholesterol consumption decreased by seven percent due to the decreased amount of cholesterol in eggs. The investigators also reported that there was a slight shift in the percentage contribution of total cholesterol intake from eggs to other foods like meat, poultry and dairy (6).

"Cholesterol-containing foods, such as eggs, are often eaten with foods that are high in saturated fat which gives them a bad reputation by association," says Dr. Mitch Kanter, Executive Director for the Egg Nutrition Center and session moderator at EB. "Eggs are a nutrient-rich food on their own and can easily be enjoyed with other nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, whole grains and reduced fat milk without worry of increasing heart disease risk."

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also support the role of eggs in a healthy diet. The policy report, released in late January, states that healthy individuals can enjoy an egg daily and suggests an egg a day does not result in increased blood cholesterol levels. The guidelines recommend that individuals consume, on average, less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day (7).

### For More Information To learn more about dietary cholesterol and the nutritional benefits of eggs, visit the Egg Nutrition Center website at www.eggnutritioncenter.org or blog at www.nutritionunscrambled.com. Contact the Egg Media Hotline to speak with a researcher or registered dietitian. For protein-rich egg recipes and preparation tips, visit the American Egg Board at www.incredibleegg.org. About the American Egg Board (AEB) AEB is the U.S. egg producer's link to the consumer in communicating the value of The incredible edible egg™ and is funded from a national legislative checkoff on all egg production from companies with greater than 75,000 layers, in the continental United States. The board consists of 18 members and 18 alternates from all regions of the country who are appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. The AEB staff carries out the programs under the board direction. AEB is located in Park Ridge, Ill. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for more information. About the Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) The Egg Nutrition Center (ENC) is the health education and research center of the American Egg Board. Established in 1979, ENC provides science-based information to health promotion agencies, physicians, dietitians, nutritional scientists, media and consumers on issues related to egg nutrition and the role of eggs in the American diet. ENC is located in Park Ridge, IL. Visit www.eggnutritioncenter.org for more information. 1. Siri-Tarino PW, Sun Q, Hu FB, Krauss RM. Saturated fat, carbohydrate, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;91: 535-546. 2. Njike V, Faridi Z, Dutta S, Gonzalez-Simon AL, Katz DL. Daily egg consumption in hyperlipidemic adults – Effects on endothelial function and cardiovascular risk. Nutr J. 2010, 9:28. 3. Kanter M, Kris-Etherton P, Katz D, Luz-Fernandez M, and Vickers K. Exploring the Factors That Impact Blood Cholesterol and Heart Disease Risk: Is Dietary Cholesterol as Bad for You as History Leads Us to Believe? Experimental Biology 2011. Washington, D.C. 13 Apr. 2011. 4. Fernandez ML, Calle M. Revisiting Dietary Cholesterol Recommendations: Does the Evidence Support a Limit of 300 mg/d? Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2010. Published online ahead of print. 5. Exler J, Patterson KY, and Holden JM. (2011) Nutrient data for whole, large eggs from a USDA nationwide sampling. Experimental Biology, Washington D.C. 6. Hoy MK, Goldman JD, Greenblum M, Ahuja JKC, Steinfeldt LC, Moshfegh AJ. (2011) Decreases in total cholesterol intake due to decreased cholesterol in eggs in What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007-2008. Experimental Biology, Washington D.C. 7. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, December 2010.

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Low doses of penta-brominated diphenyl ether flame retardants alter gene expression

2011-04-14

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are chemicals that have been widely used as flame retardants and are now classified as persistent organic pollutants. Health concerns in humans have arisen based primarily on studies with laboratory animals exposed to high levels of PBDEs. Three commercial mixtures of PBDEs have been manufactured in or imported into the United States which include penta-, octa-, and deca-brominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs). Of particular concern has been the penta-BDEs used primarily in foams in computers, televisions, mattresses, pillows, carpets, ...

HIV rate in SF could be cut sharply with expanded treatment, study predicts

2011-04-14

If HIV-infected adults in San Francisco began taking antiretroviral treatments as soon as they were diagnosed, the rate of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men would be cut by almost 6o percent over five years, according to a new study by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco. In San Francisco, men who have sex with men comprise more than three quarters of the population of people living with HIV and more than three quarters of new HIV infections occur in this group. The study looked specifically at the impact of treatment upon rates ...

Bankruptcy Filings Rise As Stigma Falls

2011-04-14

The statistic is breathtaking: "More Americans filed for bankruptcy last year in the United States than in the entire decade of the 1960s," reports an article on MSN Money. The slowness of the recovery combined with the mountain of debt has put more people in the position of filing for bankruptcy than ever. With the recession, more people have had problems paying their bills, in part, due to the fact they have more debt. From 1990 to 2003, credit card lending increased from $173 to $683 billion. Much of the lending was for subprime credit cards, which grew even faster ...

Children victims of most eye injuries from aerosols

2011-04-14

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Children were the victims in more than half of the emergency room visits for eye injuries related to aerosol cans between 1997 and 2009, according to a new study by researchers at Brown University. More could be done, they said, to prevent injury from the pressurized and often harsh chemical contents of the common products. The youngest children, ages 0 to 4, were the most likely to be hurt with an estimated 2,830 emergency room visits during the study timeframe, according to the study published in advance online March 30 in the American ...

Coffee in capsules contains more furan than the rest

2011-04-14

"Preparing a coffee in a drip coffee maker is not the same as making one in an espresso machine or from capsules, because these give rise to differing levels of furan", Javier Santos, a professor at the Department of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Barcelona and lead author of the study, tells SINC. Concern has risen over recent years about the presence of this compound in foods, because of its toxic and carcinogenic effects in animals, as well as the fact that the International Agency for Research on Cancer has listed it as a possible carcinogen in humans. Against ...

Texas Debating Sex Offender Registration Changes

2011-04-14

The stigma of a sex crime is something that can follow someone around for years, if not a lifetime. If a conviction results, many different punishments may be handed down. Not only may there be extensive prison time, but offenders will also be required to demonstrate that they have been rehabilitated. Additionally, those convicted will also need to register as a sex offender. Once someone is on this list it becomes very difficult to be removed. Some sexual offenses require lifetime registration. All of this costs a lot of money for states. Many jurisdictions have embraced ...

Researchers create privacy mode to help secure Android smartphones

2011-04-14

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed software that helps Android smartphone users prevent their personal information from being stolen by hackers. "There are a lot of concerns about potential leaks of personal information from smartphones," says Dr. Xuxian Jiang, an assistant professor of computer science at NC State and co-author of a paper describing the research. "We have developed software that creates a privacy mode for Android systems, giving users flexible control over what personal information is available to various applications." The ...

Trial Court Upholds $4.2 Million Verdict Obtained by Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP in Lawsuit Against Paul Revere Life Insurance Company and UNUM Group

2011-04-14

A Los Angeles Superior Court trial judge has rejected a motion for a new trial in a case against defendants Paul Revere Life Insurance Company and UNUM Group involving a disability insurance policy. The jury had previously found the defendants liable for bad faith and breach of an insurance disability contract before awarding $4.2 million in damages to the insured. The plaintiff, a dental hygienist, first purchased an individual disability insurance policy from Paul Revere in 1988. After she began to suffer from several disabling medical conditions in 1996, including ...

U.S. Justice Department Sues HSBC India for Disclosure of Accounts Held by United States Taxpayers

2011-04-14

The United States Department of Justice continues its vigorous efforts to open up foreign secret bank accounts. In its latest move, the United States Department of Justice, on behalf of the Internal Revenue Service has filed suit in San Francisco, California against HSBC India to require the disclosure of United States tax payers accounts. The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all US tax payers meet their obligations to declare and pay taxes on foreign bank accounts. The IRS has announced that it is continuing to focus its attention on international tax evasion. The ...

Programming regret for Google

2011-04-14

Tel Aviv — Human beings are well aware that hindsight is 20/20 — and the product of this awareness is often what we call "regret." Could this hindsight be programmed into a computer to more accurately predict the future? Tel Aviv University computer researchers think so — and the Internet giant Google is anxious to know the answer, too. Prof. Yishay Mansour of Tel Aviv University's Blavatnik School of Computer Science launched his new project at the International Conference on Learning Theory in Haifa, Israel, earlier this year. His research will help computers minimize ...

Experts at Experimental Biology examine dietary cholesterol, egg intake and heart disease risk

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: