Egg yolks aren’t as bad as you think! According to Dr Shubham Vatsya, the cholesterol in egg yolks doesn’t significantly impact blood cholesterol level.
Are egg yolks harmful to you? In a December 6 Instagram video, Dr Shubham Vatsya, a senior gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Fortis Vasant Kunj, challenged the long-held belief that egg yolks are detrimental to heart health, labelling this idea as a major nutritional misconception. He asserted that this common food does not cause heart attacks or strokes. Also read | Fortis gastroenterologist shares he lost 38 kg in 3 years by eating eggs daily: ‘3 eggs is 18 gram high quality protein’
The cholesterol misconception
He explained that the human liver naturally produces most of the body’s cholesterol, making the cholesterol consumed through egg yolks largely insignificant in terms of its effect on blood cholesterol levels. Dr Vatsya highlighted a large-scale study that found no increased risk of heart attack or stroke from consuming one egg daily.
In the video he posted, Dr Vatsya said in Hindi, “Making egg yolks the villain is the biggest scam run by nutritionists. Your liver produces 80 percent of your body’s cholesterol itself. The dietary cholesterol you take from egg yolks hardly affects blood cholesterol. A large study of 150,000 people has clearly shown that eating one egg daily does not pose a risk of heart attack or stroke.”
Yolk’s benefits and the real culprit
Furthermore, Dr Vatsya argued that egg yolks actually improve ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and contain beneficial components, such as lutein, choline, and essential vitamins, that support the heart, liver, and brain. The real issue is often the unhealthy way eggs are prepared, such as adding excessive butter, cream, or oil, rather than the yolk itself, he shared. Therefore, he stated, healthy, non-diabetic adults can safely consume up to three whole eggs per day.
Dr Vatsya said: “In fact, the yolk improves HDL, or good cholesterol, and contains lutein, choline, and essential vitamins that support heart, liver, and brain health. So the real problem is not the yolk; it is in the cooking style. People cook the egg with butter, cream, and extra oil, and then say they face problems. If you are a healthy, non-diabetic, non-hypertensive adult, you can comfortably eat three whole eggs every day.”
He wrote in his caption, “Egg yolk ≠ heart attack. For years, egg yolks were labelled “bad for your heart,” but modern science has completely overturned that myth. Your liver makes most of your cholesterol, which means dietary cholesterol from yolks barely affects your levels. One to two eggs a day doesn’t increase heart disease risk, in fact, yolks improve HDL and provide nutrients your brain, liver, and heart need. So, tell me… are you team ‘eat the yolk’ or ‘throw it away’?”
