Eggs: Are they good or bad for my cholesterol?

Eggs are high in cholesterol, and a diet high in cholesterol can contribute to elevated blood cholesterol levels. But the extent to which dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol levels isn't clear. Many scientists believe that saturated fats and trans fats have a greater impact than dietary cholesterol in raising blood cholesterol.

If you are healthy, it is recommended that you limit your dietary cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams (mg) a day. If you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high LDL cholesterol, limit dietary cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day. The yolk of one large egg has about 213 mg of cholesterol. If you eat an egg on a given day, it may be a good idea to limit or avoid other sources of cholesterol for the rest of that day.

If you like eggs but don't want the extra cholesterol, use egg whites. Egg whites contain no cholesterol. You may also use cholesterol-free egg substitutes, which are made with egg whites. If you want to reduce cholesterol in a recipe that calls for eggs, you can use two egg whites or 1/4 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute in place of one whole egg.