A common breakfast question is "How do you like your eggs in the morning?" but one dietitian prefers asking a slightly different version. For Jesse Feder, it's not about how he has his eggs but instead how many he has.
Dietary health has always been very important for the registered dietician and personal trainer, who monitors everything he consumes to ensure he's getting the most balanced diet.
High cholesterol has long been a prominent concern in his family, so Feder was always cautious of eating anything that he thought was going to raise his cholesterol levels, meaning he steered clear of eggs.
The cholesterol content of a large egg is thought to be 186 milligrams, all of which is in the yolk, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Eleven percent of adults have high cholesterol, which is anything over 240 milligrams per deciliter, according to the Dietary Guidelines of Americans, a publication put out by the government's agriculture and health and human services departments. Despite this, eggs are considered to be nutrient-dense, and the guidelines recommended consuming them regularly as part of a varied diet.
After gaining experience as a dietician and increasing his awareness about what he puts into his body, Feder, who lives in Miami, learned that a person's dietary cholesterol doesn't necessarily affect the blood cholesterol level, as he'd previously thought.
This was eye-opening for Feder, and he decided to start incorporating eggs into his diet for the protein once he learned that they weren't automatically going to raise his cholesterol.
Feder has been eating between three and five eggs every morning for a year as part of his breakfast, which he says has drastically improved his health and energy levels.
"As someone who has high cholesterol running in the family, I have always been afraid of having too many eggs because of the high cholesterol content," Feder told Newsweek. "My cholesterol was borderline high for several years before I started eating eggs every day.
"As a dietitian, I have learned that dietary cholesterol has minimal, if any, effect on our blood cholesterol levels," he said. "As someone who is also a personal trainer and very active, I look for foods that can provide me with protein, healthy fats and a variety of nutrients. Eggs fit that role perfectly for me, and I tend to have three to five every morning."
Eggs can provide the body with a variety of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin B, folate, vitamin B12, choline and antioxidants.
The body contains two types of cholesterol, known as good and bad cholesterol. Good cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein, and higher levels of HDL reduce the risk of heart disease. An increase in bad cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL), raises the risk of heart disease, so it's important to keep these levels down.
Since adding multiple eggs to his daily diet, Feder's HDL levels have gone up, while his LDL levels have dropped, he said.
Feder usually has all five eggs as part of a vegetable omelet each morning. If he's not in the mood for that, he will boil some eggs and have them as snacks later in the day instead. As long as he gets his quantity of eggs each day, he doesn't mind how he has them.
After making the change and eating at least three eggs every day, he is "much more energized" after breakfast and doesn't need to eat anything else until lunch.
"Before having three to five eggs every day, I was completely avoiding them due to my concerns about cholesterol. But my energy levels used to be so low, especially after breakfast," he said.
He continued: "I would be so tired, and it wouldn't be until lunchtime when I would really wake up. But now I have energy, and I feel nice and full throughout the day. Additionally, my bad cholesterol levels went down after I started eating this many eggs each morning, and my good cholesterol levels have gone up."
After reaping the health benefits from his daily egg consumption, Feder encourages his friends, family and clients to add more eggs to their diet wherever possible.
On the odd occasion when he isn't in the mood for eggs and can't bring himself to eat them, he won't force himself. If he wants a day off from eating eggs now and then, he won't force himself to eat them.
"I typically recommend eggs as a healthy fat and protein source as part of [clients'] meals," he said. "I will recommend three to five eggs, depending on their current caloric needs and activity levels. Some people may not need as many eggs if they're smaller or less active."
He continued: "One rule of thumb that I've learned is to make sure your plate looks colorful. Having different colors on your plate typically means you will consume a meal that's rich in nutrients.
"Throughout the day, I like to have a large variety of lean proteins such as salmon, tuna, chicken and turkey. I also look for healthy fats in avocado, egg yolks, olive oil and fatty fish. I will make sure I have a variety of fruits and vegetables with my meals, as well as lots of whole grains," he said.
Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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