Connection Between Omega-3 Eggs and Heart Health

Eating eggs enriched with omega-3s can boost heart health, improve blood triglyceride levels, and help people reach their daily recommended intake of omega-3, according to the results of a clinical trial published this month in Food Research International (see http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/422970). The new study also points out that North American families are only getting a fraction of the generally recommended daily intake of omega-3 with the predominant source of DHA and EPA in the North American diet coming from fish90% in the United States and 75% in Canada.

"The recommended daily intake of EPA and DHA ranges from 500 mg for healthy people to 900 mg per day for people with cardiovascular health problems. Unfortunately, current intakes of EPA and DHA in North America are at approximately 130 to 150 mg per day," said Bruce Holub, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, who conducted the study along with fellow researcher Emily L. Rose. "The shortfall is significant and needs to be addressed through increased public and health education efforts."

The trial, which was conducted using Naturegg Break-Free Omega 3 liquid eggs, showed a reduction in blood triglyceride levels by 32%, a reduction in the triglyceride:HDL-cholesterol ratio by 37%, and a moderate reduction in blood pressure levels without impacting serum cholesterol. The EPA and DHA blood levels of the test subjects rose 96% and 210% respectively, significantly lowering their estimated cardiovascular risk status.

Published studies show excess amounts of triglycerides in the blood and high blood pressure levels, as well as low DHA/EPA blood levels, have been linked to coronary artery disease and stroke in some people.

The enriched liquid egg used in the study delivered 630 mg of both DHA and EPA omega-3. A 50-ml serving of the eggs would provide a total of 250 mg of EPA and DHA, twice the average daily intake of EPA and DHA omega-3 in the North American diet.

"The results of the study support enriched eggs as an excellent vehicle for the delivery of DHA and EPA omega-3, and given their broad appeal, eggs and egg products have the potential to bridge a critical nutritional gap that exists in the North American diet," added Holub.

The clinical trial involved 16 healthy men with moderately elevated triglyceride levels in their bloodgreater than 90 mg per deciliter of serum (1 mmol/L). The men, between the ages of 30 and 65, were assigned to either eat an omega-3-enriched liquid-egg breakfast or a control breakfast for an initial 21-day period, followed by the alternate breakfast for a second 21-day period. The two periods were separated by a washout period of 10 weeks, during which time the subjects returned to their usual diets.