The good egg

The more varied diet enjoyed by free-range and organic hens may deliver eggs slightly lower in cholesterol, but the nutritional benefits of any egg are more important.

- JENNIFER BOWDEN

QUESTION:

We buy free-range eggs and want to know if certain types of egg have less cholesterol than others. For example, would organic free-range chickens be fed less fatty foods? I understand all free-range chickens are fed some form of commercial feed, which can include animal byproducts.

ANSWER:

Eggs are a nutrient-dense food deserving of high praise in the world of nutrition science. Whether scrambled, poached, or hard-boiled, they provide a powerful blend of high-quality protein, essential vitamins such as A, D, E and B12, minerals such as selenium and iodine, and beneficial polyunsaturated fats. But when it comes to cholesterol content, the picture is more nuanced than egg-carton labels suggest.

For many years, dietary guidelines classified eggs in the “limit” category due to their cholesterol-rich yolks, which contain 130-220mg of cholesterol. However, recent research has largely overturned the idea that eating eggs significantly raises blood cholesterol for most people. Instead, saturated fat intake plays a much bigger role in heart disease risk than dietary cholesterol itself.