Got High Cholesterol? Yes, You Can Eat Eggs

• By Jaimie Dalessio, Senior Editor

Many people avoid eggs because they're afraid of driving up their cholesterol levels — but the fear is unwarranted, say Cleveland Clinic cardiac specialists. This is just one of the heart health myths they debunk in a new book.

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MONDAY, Feb. 13, 2012 — If you’ve banned eggs from breakfast under the pretense that they’ll hike up yourcholesterol levels, here’s good reason to bring them back and get your sunny side on.

Only 20 percent of the body’s cholesterol comes from diet, according to Cleveland Clinic heart specialists Steven Nissen, MD, and Marc Gillinov, MD, who teamed up to write HEART 411: The Only Guide to Heart Health You’ll Ever Need.

Are you doing everything you can to manage your heart condition? Find out with our interactive checkup.

The remaining 80 percent of your cholesterol is made by your liver. Furthermore, saturated fat and trans fat in your diet play a bigger role in cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol, which means you can’t blame your lousy lipid levels on diet — or fix them by eliminating foods rich in cholesterol (like eggs) from your diet alone.

Eggs can be a part of your heart-healthy meal plan, in moderation. Doctors Nissen and Gillinov recommend eating no more than one to three eggs per week if you’re trying to lower your LDL “bad” cholesterol levels.

And while we’re at the breakfast table, let’s squash the debate over what you should sip: Neither coffee nor tea is bad for the heart, according to the authors. Read on for some more myths they debunk in the book.