Many patients often consult with me about whether high cholesterol is related to eating eggs, especially egg yolks? Below, let's take a detailed look. Dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. Cholesterol in egg yolks belongs to dietary cholesterol. The so-called dietary cholesterol refers to the cholesterol present in food, such as high-fat meats, eggs, butter, and full fat dairy products. In addition, processed meats also contain a significant amount of dietary cholesterol, such as sausages and cured meats. The high cholesterol detected in the hospital refers to a high level of cholesterol in the blood. But the human body is not a container, and not everything ingested will be reflected in the bloodstream. Research has found that the impact of the body's own fat metabolism on blood cholesterol is much greater than the impact of dietary cholesterol intake. Of course, this does not mean that people can consume cholesterol rich foods without restraint, but should adjust their overall diet structure. If you eat a lot of foods rich in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium, and consume very little dietary fiber, it will undoubtedly increase the risk of heart disease. On the contrary, if you eat a lot of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and occasionally spread butter on bread, it will not pose a great risk. Can we still enjoy eating eggs and return to the issue of eating eggs. What are the effects of eating eggs on blood lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease risk? At present, the results of multiple observational studies both domestically and internationally on the effects of eggs on blood lipid indicators and cardiovascular disease risk are inconsistent. For example, a nested case-control study based on a prospective research project on chronic diseases in China found that consuming eggs is associated with a decrease in lipoprotein concentration, with an average daily intake of no more than one egg, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Another study of over 500000 people in China showed that people who eat eggs every day have an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and an 18% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared to those who hardly eat eggs. However, a study in the United States that included 520000 people and followed them up for 16 years found that people who eat more eggs have increased cholesterol intake and are associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cancer mortality. The medical community believes that the reason for the significant differences in observational research results may be due to the susceptibility of such studies to interference from many factors. For example, European and American populations often consume high-fat foods such as bacon, sausages, and butter when consuming eggs, while Asian populations typically consume eggs in conjunction with healthier dietary patterns. More convincing randomized controlled studies have shown that eating eggs has little overall effect on cholesterol levels in the blood. Most studies on the relationship between eggs and coronary heart disease have shown that eating eggs does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease onset and death. Is it okay to eat eggs every day? Therefore, instead of focusing on the cholesterol content in an egg, it is better to pay more attention to whether your dietary structure is healthy and whether your food contains too much fat, sugar, or salt. However, regarding egg intake, we still need to provide specific advice: for healthy individuals, the dietary guidelines for Chinese residents recommend 300 to 350 grams of eggs per week, with an average of one egg per day, and the entire egg should not be thrown away. For children and adolescents who are growing and developing, or for patients in the recovery period who need to supplement protein, they can eat one to two eggs a day. If you suffer from hyperlipidemia, or chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, it is recommended to control the dietary cholesterol according to the total amount of 300 mg per day. You can eat one egg every other day. For overweight or obese individuals, it is recommended not to exceed six eggs per week. Wen/Liu Jian (Peking University People's Hospital) (Xinhua News Agency)