the real deal Foods containing relatively high levels of dietary cholesterol can have important health benefits.*
eggs ›
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According to a 2011 article by the University of Maryland Medical Center, sulfur (which is contained in eggs) keeps joints healthy and may help in pain reduction. A 2002 study in Alternative Medicine Review agrees and expands on this finding, reporting that sulfur may be efficacious in helping to reduce the symptoms of arthritis and to treat allergies, pain syndromes, athletic injuries, and bladder disorders.18 Additionally, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry claimed in 2005 that eggs contain various elements (such as lysozymes and oligosaccharides) that help protect against bacterial and microbial infection.19
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According to a 2010 study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin and executed by the Department of Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University, shrimp contains omega-3 fatty acids, resulting in protective health effects such as reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.20
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Stated in a 1996 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shrimp consumption is also deemed healthy for the circulatory system because its lack of saturated fat turns the tables on its high cholesterol content and actually ameliorates the ratio of LDL (“bad” cholesterol) to HDL and lowers blood lipid levels (blood fat).21 * While cholesterol-rich foods may possess benefits due to their other properties, they should still be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced nutritional plan. The government’s “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” advises to choose a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, reports a 2011 article in Nutrition Reviews.24 According to a 1995 article in Circulation, there are indeed clinical health benefits (such as lowering the incidence of CHD) related to lowering dietary cholesterol intake.25 A 2000 study in the Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine confirmed that lowering cholesterol intake levels can, due to lowered blood LDL, reduce the risk of developing CHD.26
cheese ›
According to a 2009 article in Trends in Food Science and Technology, ingestion of probiotic cheese (aged cheese) has shown clinical benefits in its ability to deliver viable probiotic bacteria into the human body. Probiotics, as defined in 2008 by the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics and Dairy and Food Culture Technologies, are “products that contain an adequate dose of live microbes that have been documented in target-host studies to confer a health benefit”.22
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The former journal also found that probiotic cheese could decrease the risk of hyposalivation (dry mouth, which can sometimes cause bad breath) and be advantageous for oral health in general.23
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Note: The main problem cheese poses is over-indulgence of a high-fat dairy product that can also contain growth hormones if not organic. Eat cheese as a modestly-used topping or ingredient, not a food group, and buy organic whenever possible.
total wellness ▪ fall 2013
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Eating eggs may decrease the risk of developing macular degeneration (loss of vision) up to 40% due to their carotenoid content, reports the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in 2000.15 Two large eggs contain 0.3 mg of carotenoid.16 To keep things simple, do not exceed 4 egg yolks/week (each containing 186 mg of cholesterol). Healthy individuals can safely consume up to 300 mg of cholesterol per day while people with heart disease or diabetes should stay below 200 mg/day.17
shrimp
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