When prepared correctly, eggs can be some of the healthiest breakfast foods possible. They’re packed with protein, they’re versatile, and they’re simply delicious. However, just as with any other food, the health benefits of eggs can easily be negated if you add the wrong ingredients to the mix or fail to prepare them in a healthy way. It’s always crucial to take your cooking methods into consideration when following a healthy diet. And as it turns out, there’s one popular way of cooking eggs that could be clogging your arteries and raising your risk of heart disease.
To shed some light on one of the least healthy ways to prepare your eggs in the morning, we checked in with Lisa Richards, nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet. She told us that although it may be a popular and tasty choice, frying your eggs isn’t in the best interest of your heart. Read on to learn more about the risks.
Fried eggs and heart health risks
If you're craving some runny yolk to go with your toast in the morning, you may reach for a frying pan and some oil to cook your eggs with. However, Richards warns that this could do some damage to your heart. "Frying eggs is considered a suboptimal method for heart health due to several reasons," she tells us.
One of the main reasons that fried eggs are unhealthy is the ingredients they call for. Namely, inflammatory oil LINK or butter, which Richards notes "adds extra saturated and trans fats to the dish." Unhealthy fats like these, she says, "can raise levels of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, contributing to the development of arterial plaques and increasing the risk of heart disease." Yikes!
But it isn't just the fat component that makes fried eggs a poor choice for your health. The cooking temperature is also reason for concern. "Moreover, the high cooking temperatures in frying can lead to the formation of harmful compounds, like acrylamide, which has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular issues," Richards goes on. In addition to forming harmful compounds, "Excessive heat also oxidizes the cholesterol in eggs, potentially making it more detrimental to the arteries." All in all, it's best to choose other methods if you're looking out for your heart health.
How should you cook your eggs for optimal heart health?
If you frequently fry your eggs, you may be wondering what other method you could use instead. Luckily, there are plenty of great options. "Cooking methods like boiling or poaching are healthier alternatives, preserving the integrity of the egg's nutritional value without the added unhealthy fats and potentially harmful byproducts associated with frying," Richards says.
However, remember to consider the ingredients you're pairing with your eggs. Adding heavy cream and processed meat, for example, could lead to an array of health issues, including weight gain.
The bottom line
Generally, eggs are a fantastic food to add to your diet—and if you choose to fry them every once in a while, you're not necessarily setting yourself up for imminent heart disease. However, limiting your intake of harmful oils and the compounds created from high cooking temperatures can definitely be a good way to look out for the health of your heart. When combined with other smart habits, steering clear of fried eggs is a good step towards greater cardiovascular health.
READ MORE: 3 Things To Stop Doing Because They Could Lead To Heart Disease
