Eggs are a daily staple in most households, but how many to eat per day is a common refrain.

Chiu Cheng-hung, director of the Jing Sheng Clinic in Taiwan, told Taiwanese news outlet TVBS that eating too many eggs or preparing them improperly can reduce their nutritional value and even increase the risk of food poisoning.

In an online health consultation program, weight loss specialist Chiu debunks nutritional myths surrounding egg consumption.

He says studies show that eating three eggs a day continuously for 30 days raises levels of “bad cholesterol” in the blood, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

He says a 2020 meta analysis of 17 scientific studies linked three eggs a day with the risk of heart disease.

The long-held belief that “you should only eat one egg a day” stems mainly from a concern that the cholesterol in egg yolks affects the cardiovascular system.

But since each person’s ability to absorb and metabolize cholesterol differs, the appropriate number of eggs to consume also varies.

Chiu says people should get a blood test to find their cholesterol levels.

For most healthy adults, an LDL cholesterol level below 130 mg/dL is considered within the recommended range. If it is close to the upper limit, no more than two eggs a day is advisable. But if it is at a healthy level, consuming three to four eggs a day is not a concern.

Besides, when calculating the daily intake, people often overlook the egg content in foods such as pudding, cakes, egg rolls, and tomato and egg stir-fry.

Another common misconception is that brown-shelled eggs are more natural and nutritious, which is why they often cost more. In reality, Chiu explains, the shell color depends mainly on the breed of hen and its feed. Some feeds are supplemented with beta-carotene, which gives the shell a darker reddish hue, but this has almost no effect on the nutritional value of the egg.

When it comes to preparation, many people believe raw eggs are the most nutritious, or they prefer the soft, silky texture of soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks. However, scientific studies show that the protein absorption rate from fully cooked eggs exceeds 90%, while raw eggs offer only around 50%, resulting in significant nutrient waste.

Besides, raw and undercooked eggs carry the risk of Salmonella contamination and food poisoning. People with weakened immune systems, pregnant women, young children, and the elderly should take particular care to avoid them in order to prevent gastroenteritis or worse.

In the cases of egg rolls and scrambled and fried eggs, while they do provide high-quality protein, the cooking process typically involves butter, cream, or large amounts of oil, which increases the cholesterol content.

Portion control is important for braised and tea eggs to avoid consuming too much sodium.

Chiu concludes that eating them fully boiled is the optimal way to enjoy eggs.

If their flavor is a little plain, a small amount of soy sauce or natural seasoning can be added to enhance taste, making it a safe and healthy way to take in high-quality protein, vitamins, and a wide range of nutrients, he adds.