LONDON: Eggs have long been demonized as being bad for the heart. Yet new research suggests that this is not only untrue, but that eggs could even be considered a "superfood".

Eggs could actually protect against heart disease, breast cancer and eye problems and even help you to lose weight.

For years people assumed eggs were bad for cholesterol levels. But a review just published in the British Nutrition Foundation's Nutrition Bulletin found they "have no clinically significant impact" on heart disease or cholesterol levels.

Dr Bruce Griffin of the University of Surrey's school of biomedical and molecular science analyzed 30 egg studies, among them one from Harvard University which showed people who consumed one or more eggs a day were at no more risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease than non-egg eaters.

Egg yolks contain cholesterol, but nutritionists now know it is the saturated fats in food, not dietary cholesterol, that raises blood cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart attacks.

"To view eggs solely in terms of their dietary cholesterol content is to ignore the potential benefits of eggs on coronary risk factors, including obesity and diabetes", Dr Griffin says.

"Eggs are actually good for you. They are rich in nutrients", says Joanne Lunn, nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation. One egg provides 13 essential nutrients, all in the yolk (egg whites contain albumen, an important source of protein, and no fat).

Lunn says eggs are an excellent source of B vitamins, which are needed for vital functions in the body, and also provide good quantities of vitamin A, essential for normal growth and development.

An egg's vitamin E content protects against heart disease and some cancers; there's also vitamin D, which promotes mineral absorption and good bone health.

Eggs are rich in iodine, for making thyroid hormones, and phosphorus, essential for healthy bones and teeth.

Teenage girls who eat an egg a day may give themselves additional protection against breast cancer in later life, according to a study in the journal Breast Cancer Research.

It is the essential nutrients in eggs, such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals, that may be responsible for this protection.

Egg yolks contain the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which could help to prevent or even reverse the age-related eye problem macular degeneration (MD). This is one of the leading causes of blindness and occurs as a consequence of getting older --- however, low lutein intake is implicated as a risk factor.

Eggs are also low in calories --- a large egg contains only 75 calories and five grams of fat --- and other research suggests they can help you lose weight. A study published last year in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition looked at the breakfast habits of obese women.

Scientists from the Wayne State University in Detroit found that when the women were given either an egg or bagel breakfast, each providing the same number of calories, the women eating the eggs felt fuller and consumed fewer calories overall in the following 24 hours.

Health experts used to recommend a maximum egg consumption of three a week to avoid a rise in blood cholesterol levels. But with evidence that it is saturated fat intake that affects cholesterol, advice has changed. Foods Standards Agency says there is no limit as long as they form part of a healthy, balanced diet. --- DM.