Do You Need to Give Up Eggs if You Have High Cholesterol?

Eggs are loaded with nutrients, but for people concerned about their heart health—and particularly their cholesterol levels—the decision to include them in their diet can seem complicated.

This is because eggs have gotten a bad rap over the years, due to their cholesterol content: One large egg has approximately 186 mg of cholesterol—more than half of the daily 300 mg limit previously recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.¹²

“Eggs have a high amount of cholesterol and this is a relic from our early understanding of heart disease decades ago,” Gregory Katz, MD, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. “It’s partly an oversimplification, but there’s some truth to the impact on LDL cholesterol.”

Though there’s no longer a recommended daily amount of cholesterol—now experts urge people to focus on lowering dietary saturated and trans fats—many are still wary of how cholesterol-rich foods like eggs might negatively impact their levels.

Here’s what you need to know about eggs and cholesterol, and how to safely eat these nutritional powerhouses while keeping heart health in mind.