10 Medical Reasons to Skip the Eggs on Easter

Easter is approaching, and the tradition of coloring eggs and egg hunts is widespread. And, as many vegans know, egg production is a cruel and unsanitary experience for most chicks and hens. But what about consuming eggs? There is still a large percentage of the population that believes eating eggs is good for their bodies, but they’re wrong. In fact, there is a plethora of research that shows just how damaging the consumption of eggs is to human health (not to the mention the animals laying the eggs). To counter some of erroneous information surrounding the consumption of eggs, here are the top 10 medical reasons I tell my patients whenever they ask about eating eggs.
 
1. Heart failure
In a prospective study of approximately 70,000 Swedes, eating an egg a day or more was associated with an 30-percent increased risk of congestive heart failure.
 
2. Diabetics and heart disease
A large analysis of eggs found that diabetics who eat eggs have a 50-percent increased risk of coronary heart disease.
 
3. Diabetes Mellitus
According to a meta-analysis of more than 200,000 subjects, people who eat three eggs a week have an increased risk of developing diabetes.
 
4. Death
Diabetic patients who eat a large quantity of eggs double the risk of dying compared to those eating fewer eggs, so says a prospective study.
 
5. Carotid Artery Disease
In a prospective study of 1,262 persons undergoing serial ultrasound examinations of the carotid arteries to the brain, egg yolk consumption was correlated with increased amounts of carotid plaque.
 
6. Prostate cancer
A pooled study found that increased egg intake—along with red meat—was associated with a 14-percent increase in advanced and fatal prostate cancers.
 
7. Breast cancer
According to a meta-analysis that looked at eating eggs, consuming more than nine eggs a week was associated with a nine-percent increased risk of breast cancer.
 
8. Ovarian cancer
In a meta-analysis, egg consumption was found to relate to a 22-percent increased risk of ovarian cancer.
 
9. Colon cancer
In an analysis of more than 400,000 subjects, egg consumption correlated with the development of gastrointestinal cancers, especially a 25-percent increase in colon cancer.
 
10. TMAO
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is a molecule that causes cardiovascular and kidney disease, and is related to the ingestion of certain foods. In a recent study, eating eggs increased TMAO in the blood significantly.
 
Joel Kahn, MD, a Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Michigan School of Medicine, is founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity and serves as Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine.