Exposed!
Top Cholesterol Myths. . .
How much do you really know about cholesterol? If you
haven’t eaten an egg in five years or are taking garlic pills to reduce your
numbers, read on. We examined seven of the most commonly held notions
about cholesterol. Which ones held up under scrutiny by the experts?
by Sara Altshul | PHo Tos by Kritsada | fooD s Tyling by Nicole Faber-Peterson
Don’t eat eggs because
they’re high in cholesterol.
Organic, brown,
and omega-3-
enhanced eggs have
no less fat or
cholesterol than
regular eggs.
False. “Eggs are excellent sources of protein,”
says Scott W. Shurmur, M.D., associate professor,
internal medicine section of cardiology at the
University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
“Though it’s true that eggs contain cholesterol,
they don’t contain much saturated fat, which
is more of a driver when it comes to raising
cholesterol levels,” he says. What’s more, some
eggs are infused with heart-healthy omega- 3 oils, so
check the labels to find eggs that are enriched. (See
“Eggs’ Sunny Side,” on page 90.)
“Preparation counts, too,” Shurmur says. “If
you don’t prepare eggs with lots of butter or add
high-fat cheese, and you don’t eat them with fatty,
high-nitrate meats like bacon and sausage, then you
don’t need to stop enjoying eggs,” he says.
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WEIGH T LOSS
Many regular exercisers might not be doing enough to improve their health, says Howard Eisen,
M.D., a cardiologist at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia. To improve weight
loss, heart function, and glucose levels, walk for 30 minutes at least four to five days a week.
