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- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs
- British Medical Journal: Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
- British Medical Journal: Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
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Are There Health Risks From Hard Boiled Eggs?
Hard-boiled eggs provide significant amounts of riboflavin, vitamin B-12, phosphorus and selenium. They contain less fat than eggs prepared with butter or oil, making this one of the healthier ways to prepare eggs. They are still high in cholesterol, however, and, if not prepared properly, could increase your risk for the food-borne illness salmonella.
Salmonella Risk
If you cook your eggs fully until both the white and the yolk are solid and don't keep them sitting out for more than twp hours at room temperature, they are safe and unlikely to give you salmonella, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1. But if you eat your eggs when they aren't fully cooked or when they've been at room temperature for too long, you could become infected if salmonella bacteria were present on the egg. Symptoms, which include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, can last up to a week.
Heart Disease Risk
Can You Eat Eggs while on an Atkins Diet?
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Each large hard-boiled egg has 187 milligrams of cholesterol. While saturated fat has more of an effect on blood cholesterol, dietary cholesterol can still increase your blood cholesterol and your risk for heart disease, especially if you consume excessive amounts or have an increased risk for heart disease. Limit dietary cholesterol to 300 milligrams per day if you are healthy or 200 milligrams if you have high cholesterol. Consuming up to one egg per day isn't likely to increase your risk for heart disease, however, according to a study published in the "British Medical Journal" in 2013 2.
- Each large hard-boiled egg has 187 milligrams of cholesterol.
- While saturated fat has more of an effect on blood cholesterol, dietary cholesterol can still increase your blood cholesterol and your risk for heart disease, especially if you consume excessive amounts or have an increased risk for heart disease.
Related Articles
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs
- British Medical Journal: Egg Consumption and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke: Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies
- Advisory Report to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Agriculture: Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Available online: https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/PDFs/Scientific-Report-of-the-2015-Dietary-Guidelines-Advisory-Committee.pdf. Accessed 28 October 2015.
- Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Rimm EB, et al. A Prospective Study of Egg Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Men and Women. J Am Med Asso 1999; 281: 1387-1394.
- McNamara DJ. The fifty year rehabilitation of the egg. Nutrients 2015; 7: 8716-8722.
Writer Bio
Based in Massachusetts, Jessica Bruso has been writing since 2008. She holds a master of science degree in food policy and applied nutrition and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations, both from Tufts University.