February is Heart Health month, which was created to make Americans aware of their heart health. While most people know about heart disease, few people know how it’s caused- or how harmful it is. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), every 1 in 4 people die from heart disease. That makes Heart Disease the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Uncontrolled high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease and stroke; uncontrolled blood pressure was once thought to come from “high-cholesterol” foods such as eggs and ground meat. That has changed. More than 40 years of research has demonstrated that people can enjoy eggs without impacting their risk of heart disease.
Recent recommendations from the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans no longer limit cholesterol intake and include eggs as part of healthy eating patterns. Other dietary factors, such as saturated fat and trans-fat, have been shown to be more detrimental to heart-disease risk.
Eggs are listed along with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and nuts as “nutrient-dense foods,” or “foods that are naturally rich in vitamins, minerals, and other substances that may have positive health effects, and are lean or low in solid fats and without added solid fats, sugars, starches, or sodium and that retain naturally-occurring components such as fiber.” Check out our article on just how nutritious eggs are here!
So, the take-away: eggs are even better for you (and your heart) than you thought!
Why not celebrate a healthy heart and controlled blood pressure levels by trying some of these healthy and tasty recipes this month? They’ve all received the Heart-Check certification from the American Heart Association.
- Zoodle Noodle Egg Bowl
- Microwave Egg & Veggie Breakfast Bowl
- Mexican Rice and Beans Baked Eggs
- Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Eggs
- Indian-Style Scrambled Eggs
- Spicy Sriracha Baked Avocado Eggs
- Zucchini Noodles with Poached Egg Topper
To find out more about eggs and heart health, including cholesterol, visit the Egg Nutrition Center.
