Are Egg Yolks Really Unhealthy?

The latest evidence says no—but don’t go crazy.

There’s much to like about egg yolks – the yolk contains most of an egg’s nutritious stuff, including the bulk of its iron, folate and vitamins. The yolks also contain two nutrients—lutein and zeaxanthin—that support eye and brain health.

But egg yolks are a source of dietary cholesterol, which is why egg-white omelets, cookies and other yolk-free fare have recently dominated the breakfast plates and baking sheets of health-conscious eaters. Especially in terms of heart health, experts once warned, dietary cholesterol is bad news.

But just as the latest research has granted dietary fat a pardon and an embarrassed apology, dietary cholesterol seems to have been unfairly slandered by the health community.

“Dietary cholesterol does not translate into high levels of blood cholesterol,” says Dr. Luc Djoussé, an associate professor and heart disease researcher at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.