A nutritionist and dietician, Olusola Malomo, has warned Nigerians against eating too much of eggs, noting that it may increase the risk of brain cancer and hypertension. The expert, who is an Assistant Chief Dietitian at the Ajeromi General Hospital, Ajegunle, Lagos State, explained that eggs are the main source of dietary cholesterol, advising that they must be consumed moderately. Falomo said that one egg per day is recommended for children from six months to five years, stressing that people, who are older and overweight, should not eat more than three eggs in a week.
He added that individuals with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 and above should be cautious and embrace other protein alternatives. He noted that when the elevation of cholesterol is not controlled, people can be predisposed to hypercholesterolemia and some other forms of cardiovascular diseases. He said, “The standard recommendation is 3 eggs per week, our concern about excessive intake of eggs in Africa and indeed Nigeria is the elevation of cholesterol, particularly the unhealthy one Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) lower density Lipoprotein. When uncontrolled, you can predispose to hypercholesterolemia, some other forms of cardiovascular diseases, aside from high blood pressure.
“Egg may not play a role in lowering blood sugar as it is not a carbohydrate-based food item. Also when looking at the quantitative and qualitative contributions in the typical African or Nigeria aside the cholesterol, you discover that it may not affect the fasting blood sugar. Eggs are also the main source of dietary cholesterol; a medium-sized egg of 58 g contains 200 mg cholesterol. However, egg consumption may also be associated with some health problems, such as brain cancer and hypertension”, he disclosed.
Meanwhile, a study published by the National Library of Medicine discovered that excessive egg consumption is harmful and had some health outcomes, including hypertension and stroke. The study with the title; ‘Egg consumption and health outcomes: a global evidence mapping based on an overview of systematic reviews’, identified 29 systematic reviews of randomised-controlled trials and observational studies on egg consumption. The study also found that people consuming more than five eggs per week have a significantly higher risk of breast cancer.
The study observed that “One potential reason for the increased risk of breast cancer is that the nutritional ingredients of eggs may promote the accumulation of cholesterol and alter the signaling pathways such as steroid hormone receptors to promote cancer progression. Another possible reason is that some cooking methods may affect the composition of the eggs in a way that increases the risk of cancer. A meta-analysis involving 320,000 participants found a positive dose-response association, between egg consumption and the risk of cardiovascular diseases”.
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