Thai food is one of the healthiest foods. In fact, several Thai dishes, such as Tom Yum soup, are currently under scientific study for their incredible health benefits. Limited data are available on the effects of egg consumption with Thai food in hyperlipidemic patients. To assess the effects of daily egg consumption with Thai food, which is known as low fat diet, on serum lipids profiles in hyperlipidemic subjects without medication treatment, the randomized crossover trial of 71 hyperlipidemic adults (8 men, 63 women) were randomly to one of the two sequences of one and three eggs/day for 4 weeks. Each treatment was separated by a four-week washout period (egg-free). Our data indicated that one or three eggs/day consumption were significantly increases total serum cholesterol (
Half of the world’s population is living in Asia they had their own culture of eating. Rice is a main food with different kinds of plant including vegetables, bean, legume, and herbs. The traditional Asian diet is one of the health model diets because of low incidence of chronic diseases in Asian countries [
Eighty adults diagnosed as hyperlipidemic participants (total serum cholesterol
The study protocol had been reviewed and approved by the Ethical Committee on Human Rights related to Researches Involving Human Subjects of Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University. All participants were informed in detail about the study, and written informed consents were obtained.
Dietary assessment for macronutrients was determined by 3-day, 24-hour dietary records. They were required to maintain the food records for 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day. The interviewers collected the data and estimated the serving portions with the use of household measuring cups, spoons, and ruler to assist the subjects in the recall of eaten foods. The quantitative calculation of each macronutrient was analyzed. During the study, the subjects were asked to check on a daily egg record sheet.
Serum lipid profile was assessed every 4-week interval, including total serum cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) which were measured by enzymatic methods (Boehringer Mannheim Corporation, Mannheim, Germany) after 12 hours overnight fast. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated from Friedewald’s formula [
Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance method. Body composition was measured in the morning after an overnight fast. Body mass was recorded to the nearest 100 gram on a calibrated digital scale.
Participant characteristics and serum lipid profile of all subjects were reported by using mean ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 13.0 for windows. All outcome measurements among baseline and each period data were assessed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA.
Seventy-one hyperlipidemic subjects, with no medication, participated in this study. Eighty-nine percent of the subjects were female. They were 23 to 75 years old, with a mean age of 50.79 years (Table
Characteristics of the study population.
Parameters | Baseline | EGG 0 | EGG 1 | EGG 3 |
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Sex, female : male | 63 : 8 | |||
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Body cell mass, % |
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No statistical difference.
Body weight, BMI, BMR (basal metabolic rate), % Body fat, WHR (waist over hip ratio), % body cell mass, % lean body mass, total body water, and systolic, diastolic BP did not show significant change (Table
No statistical difference of time sequence effect to consume 1 or 3 eggs was found during the study, the results from the two groups were pooled. Additional consumption of 1 egg (EGG 1) and 3 eggs (EGG 3) per day for 4 weeks increased subjects’ serum TC (8.94, 13.54 mg/dL) and LDL-C (7.94, 14.53 mg/dL) levels from washout period (EGG 0) but no significant change of TG, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio from EGG 0 (Table
Serum lipid levels of the participants on egg study.
Parameter | Baseline | EGG 0 | EGG 1 | EGG 3 |
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TG |
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TC |
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LDL-C |
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HDL-C |
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The association between dietary cholesterol and coronary events and mortality is generally positive. Whether dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular risk, association between dietary and serum cholesterol are related, these issues are controversial. The results from our study revealed that 1 egg or 3 eggs consumption with Thai food had unfavorable influence on serum TC, LDL-C levels in the study population of hyperlipidemic adults without medication. After 4 wk of EGG 1 and 3 the subjects’ serum TC and LDL-C significantly increased from EGG 0 (TC: 221.54 (
A clinical trial in healthy postmenopausal women aged 60 years or older had showed that the participants who were classified as hyporesponders to dietary cholesterol had no change in LDL-C and HDL-C after consuming 3 eggs per day for 4 and 12 weeks. On the other hand, the participants who were classified as hyperresponders exhibit increases in both LDL-C and HDL-C with no change in the LDL-C to HDL-C ratio [
A randomized controlled cross-over study of Chakrabarty et al. [
When we compared our study to Techakriengkrai et al. [
These emphasized on the importance of NCEP step I dietary program and the composition of macronutrient together with fat quality and quantity in Thai food for consumers. Three-day food diaries, used to track dietary intake, showed no significant difference of macronutrient intake throughout the study.
Our study provides valuable data regarding egg ingestion in hyperlipidemic adults with Thai food, without medication, showing that even only one egg ingestion significantly increased serum TC and LDL-C levels and the three eggs consumption as well. Our study showed no significant change of serum TG and HDL-C levels after 1 egg or 3 eggs consumption daily for 4 wk when compared to egg washout period. TC/HDL-C ratio may be associated with risk factors for ischemic heart disease or atherosclerosis. Thus the best ratio according to the American Heart Association would be 2 or 3 or less than 4 [
From our study results, we would like to remind ones to be careful about eating even 1 egg per day in order to be aware of the amount and composition of fat in dietary intake especially saturated fat and cholesterol intake. The recommendation of NCEP is still important in the treatment of hyperlipidemia, if you strictly follow the recommendation you can have daily consumption of up to 3 eggs without adding on your serum cholesterol level.
Our study demonstrated that consumption of 1 up to 3 eggs daily was likely to have substantial impact on serum TC and LDL-C levels. We emphasized the importance of the cholesterol lowering diet (NCEP step I diet) to lower both serum TC and LDL-C levels during egg supplement. So, daily egg supplementation together with limited fat intake, especially saturated fat and cholesterol intake is likely to provide a great impact on serum lipid levels.
The authors report no conflict of interests.
The authors wish to thank the volunteers and all of the colleagues who contributed for the study.