https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250727235827.htm Skip to main content ScienceDaily --------------------------------------------------------------------- Your source for the latest research news Follow: Facebook X/Twitter Subscribe: RSS Feeds Newsletter New! Sign up for our free email newsletter. Science News from research organizations --------------------------------------------------------------------- Eggs are off the hook--study reveals bacon's the real heart risk Date: July 28, 2025 Source: University of South Australia Summary: Eggs are finally being vindicated after decades of cholesterol-related blame. New research from the University of South Australia reveals that eggs, despite their cholesterol content, aren't the dietary villains they've long been made out to be. Instead, it's the saturated fats found in foods like bacon and sausage that actually elevate harmful LDL cholesterol levels. In a world-first study, researchers showed that eating two eggs a day, as part of a low saturated fat diet, can even help reduce LDL cholesterol, challenging outdated guidelines and offering heart-healthy news for breakfast lovers everywhere. Share: Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email FULL STORY --------------------------------------------------------------------- Eggs Cleared in Cholesterol Study A world-first study has cracked the egg myth wide open: cholesterol in eggs doesn't raise bad cholesterol. It's saturated fat that does. So go ahead--have your eggs, just skip the bacon. Credit: Shutterstock From poached to panfried, when it comes to eggs, it's all sunny side up, as new research from the University of South Australia confirms that this breakfast favourite won't crack your cholesterol. Long blamed for high cholesterol, eggs have been beaten up for their assumed role in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Now, UniSA researchers have shown definitively that it's not dietary cholesterol in eggs but the saturated fat in our diets that's the real heart health concern. In a world-first study, researchers examined the independent effects of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat on LDL cholesterol (the 'bad' kind), finding that eating two eggs a day - as part of a high cholesterol but low saturated fat diet - can actually reduce LDL levels and lower the risk of heart disease. CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly 18 million deaths each year. In Australia, one person dies from CVD every 12 minutes, accounting for one in four of deaths nationwide. Lead researcher, UniSA's Professor Jon Buckley, says it's time to rethink the reputation of eggs. "Eggs have long been unfairly cracked by outdated dietary advice," Prof Buckley says. "They're unique - high in cholesterol, yes, but low in saturated fat. Yet it's their cholesterol level that has often caused people to question their place in a healthy diet. "In this study, we separated the effects of cholesterol and saturated fat, finding that high dietary cholesterol from eggs, when eaten as part of a low saturated fat diet, does not raise bad cholesterol levels. "Instead, it was the saturated fat that was the real driver of cholesterol elevation. "You could say we've delivered hard-boiled evidence in defense of the humble egg. "So, when it comes to a cooked breakfast, it's not the eggs you need to worry about - it's the extra serve of bacon or the side of sausage that's more likely to impact your heart health." * RELATED TOPICS + Health & Medicine o Diet and Weight Loss o Cholesterol o Heart Disease o Obesity + Plants & Animals o Food o Extreme Survival o Biology o Biochemistry Research * RELATED TERMS + Trans fat + South Beach diet + Atkins Diet + Nutrition + Unsaturated fat + Heart + Healthy diet + Heart failure --------------------------------------------------------------------- Story Source: Materials provided by University of South Australia. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Journal Reference: 1. Sharayah Carter, Alison M Hill, Catherine Yandell, Lisa Wood, Alison M Coates, Jonathan D Buckley. Impact of dietary cholesterol from eggs and saturated fat on LDL cholesterol levels: a randomized cross-over study. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025; 122 (1): 83 DOI: 10.1016/ j.ajcnut.2025.05.001 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Cite This Page: * MLA * APA * Chicago University of South Australia. "Eggs are off the hook--study reveals bacon's the real heart risk." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 July 2025. . University of South Australia. (2025, July 28). Eggs are off the hook--study reveals bacon's the real heart risk. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 7, 2025 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/ 250727235827.htm University of South Australia. "Eggs are off the hook--study reveals bacon's the real heart risk." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2025/07/250727235827.htm (accessed August 7, 2025). 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