Eat Eggs; Cholesterol Not Harmful To The Body – Vet Doctor Says

Contrary to widely held belief that cholesterol is bad for the body, a veterinarian, Dr Mari Dawuda, said in Jos on Monday that many researches have proven that cholesterol is good for the body.

Dawuda, the Chief Executive Officer, Nannang GZ Veterinary Services, Jos, said this in reaction to the impression that eggs were not very healthy for humans of a particular age group due to its cholesterol content.

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy lipid (fat) found in the bloodstream and in all body cells transported to and from the cells by special proteins carriers called `lipoproteins’.

An article entitled “Fixing the Broken Cholesterol Paradigm’’ by Dr. J. E. Williams, explained that there are two main types of lipoproteins — low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

According to the article, LDL is the major cholesterol carrier in the blood.

“If too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can clog your arteries. About one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL, and is referred to as “good cholesterol” (and LDL as “bad cholesterol”) because high HDL levels seem to protect against a heart attack.

“We need cholesterol in every part of our body for brain and nerve cells, Vitamin D and steroid hormone synthesis, for healthy cell membranes, and many other structures and functions in the body.

“Too little cholesterol over time can lead to hearing and vision loss, and is associated with chronic constipation and megacolon, liver failure, and spontaneous miscarriages.’’

Corroborating Williams’ view, Dawuda said:“The body produces cholesterol and if the egg is not taken, the body has to produce its own, and the one the body produces is more harmful.

“It is a low density `lipoprotein’ which is more dangerous to health than the one from the egg which is the high density `lipoprotein’.

“In fact, in developed countries, medical practitioners no longer discuss eggs as a medical issue.

“Eggs are very much needed by the old and the young alike and we do know that nutrients from the egg help build our health, our memories and are of enormous benefits to man.’’

Besides, the doctor said that the human body rather than reject cholesterol, needed it for the body to function well.

He said that egg was one of the cheapest sources of protein and therefore, encouraged Nigerians not to be afraid of consuming eggs.

According to him, because of the fear of side effects, many Nigerians are not eating enough eggs as required by their bodies. [Vanguard]