Yes, eggs are expensive. But are they good for you? A BU study could have answers

The price of eggs, once a cheap staple of commercial and home kitchens, has recently skyrocketed. As local restaurateurs race to adapt their businesses, researchers at Boston University are asking another question: How good are eggs for people anyway?

Rich in protein and nutrients like vitamin D, eggs are also known to contain significant amounts of cholesterol, which can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association suggests that people who eat eggs should consume only one egg or two egg whites per day.

But in a recent study, researchers found that people who ate five or more eggs a week had a lower risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. They also had lower blood sugar levels. Combined with other healthy eating habits, regular egg consumption has been shown to have long-term benefits.

For the study, the researchers analyzed 2,349 adults between the ages of 30 and 64. These people were part of a cohort of descendants from the Framingham Heart Study, which tracks factors that contribute to cardiovascular disease over decades.

Beginning in 1971, members of this cohort began to undergo examinations every four years that included questionnaires, interviews, and blood tests. They were also asked to keep food records, which the UB researchers used in their work.

It should be noted that the recent study was partially funded by a grant from the Egg Nutrition Center of the American Egg Board. The American Egg Board was created at the request of egg farmers nationwide to pool marketing resources and increase demand for American eggs and egg products.

Amber Core, a registered dietitian at Ohio State University, told Healthline that the results don’t necessarily show that eating eggs protects against heart disease.

“Although this study suggests that eggs may have a positive impact on blood pressure and fasting blood sugar, this is not indicative of protection against the development of heart disease. The development of heart disease is determined more by high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and genetic determinants,” she told Healthline.

If people want to increase their egg supply, it will cost more than a year ago. The price of eggs rose nearly 60% in December from a year earlier, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average price of a dozen eggs was $4.25 in December, compared to $3.59 in November and $3.42 in October.