Eggs need not be avoided, but don’t eat three or four daily

35. Eggs need not be avoided, but don’t eat three or four daily

Cost: No cost involved, and it takes no extra time.

In plain terms: Eating an extra half whole egg each day raises the overall mortality risk by roughly 7%. Swapping that half egg for egg whites, fish, poultry, or nuts actually lowers the risk of death across all categories. There’s no need to cut eggs out of your diet, just avoid consuming three or four daily.

Benefit: A U.S. study tracking 521,000 people found that 129,000 participants died over time. Those who ate an extra half whole egg daily had a 7% higher mortality risk (hazard ratio 1.07, 95% CI 1.06–1.08, a reliable range). Replacing that half egg with equal amounts of egg whites, poultry, fish, dairy, or nuts and legumes further reduces mortality risk, including for cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory conditions.

Evidence grade: B

Sources: Zhuang P, Wu F, Mao L, et al. (2021). Egg and cholesterol consumption and mortality from cardiovascular and different causes in the United States: A population-based cohort study. PLoS Medicine, 18(2), e1003508. <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003508>

Notes: This topic remains highly debated: other long‑term studies of large populations and meta‑analyses have found no link between egg consumption and mortality. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines have also removed the previous daily cholesterol limit. The key takeaway is to avoid eating three or four eggs daily; one egg per day poses no concern.