Cardiologist José Abellán's opinion on daily egg consumption: "Cholesterol impacts your cardiovascular health."

Eggs are one of the star foods of the Mediterranean diet , which has always been a source of controversy in Spain. For a time, their consumption was demonized, limiting intake to two or three eggs per week, but recently, they've become an indispensable protein without limits due to their excellent nutritional qualities. Perhaps the solution lies in a middle ground, as is often the case in these cases, although one media expert is clear about where the balance leans.

Cardiologist Dr. José Abellán has published a series of arguments on social media to support his theory that eggs are not a food to be consumed indiscriminately , since they provide a large amount of cholesterol that our bodies don't need and that is harmful to us. What are the expert's arguments?

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In the reflections Dr. Abellán shares on Instagram, he refers to the duality inherent in this popular food: the egg. "On the one hand, it's a source of protein and essential nutrients for the body's functions, but on the other, it contains something in excess that isn't so healthy: cholesterol," he posted.

Cholesterol (eggs are very rich in it) is necessary for the body to function. In Abellán's words, "it's essential for your body, as it helps form hormones, vitamin D, and cell membranes ." The problem isn't that we can't eat eggs, but rather the quantity and its cardiovascular impact.

Thus, the cardiologist doesn't eliminate this food from the equation of a healthy diet, but he does make it clear that "the key fact is that our body produces all the cholesterol it needs, and there are studies that show that any extra cholesterol we consume can be harmful to our health."

Eggs and cardiovascular health

Although numerous studies certify that egg consumption is not harmful, the cardiologist questions this with a blunt statement: "And the studies that say eggs are not bad? Many have serious problems in their design or use poor comparators like sausages and processed cheese. What food wouldn't seem good when compared to that? Conclusion? Their results are unreliable ."

The doctor is relentless about the direct relationship between the consumption of this cholesterol-rich protein, the rise in LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood, and the risk of heart disease. "On low-cholesterol diets , even a small amount clearly increases your LDL cholesterol levels. This increases the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular events. Therefore, reducing cholesterol in your diet is key."

Expert advice on what we should consume in our diet

To conclude his powerful message, José Abellán offers some figures: "A large egg provides 200 mg of cholesterol. Studies show that every 100 mg/day of extra cholesterol can increase your LDL cholesterol ('the bad') by between 1.90 and 4.58 mg/dL. This has a direct impact on your cardiovascular health ."

From here, the proposal is to limit egg consumption ("it's not a bad food; in fact, it's better than many") and replace it with other plant-based sources that have proven beneficial effects on health. "Replacing eggs with plant-based sources such as legumes, nuts, or whole grains reduces the risk of mortality from any cause by up to 19 percent."

To round out his statements, the cardiologist writes that eggs are by no means an essential part of a healthy diet. If we still want to eat them, he suggests doing so in moderation.

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