CookSmart (11th Issue) Page30

Dietitian Guide

Egg is Good, Mind the Cholesterols

Egg has a rich source of proteins, yet it also contains high cholesterol. An ordinary egg, for instance, contains 236 mg of cholesterols whilst the recommended daily cholesterol intake for an average adult is 300 mg. People with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes or hyperlipaedemia should limit their cholesterol intake to 200 mg a day. Sylvia thus suggests that a healthy person should eat no more than 4 egg yolks a week, whilst people with the aforesaid illnesses should not eat more than 2 egg yolks a week.

Furthermore, many other foods such as Cantonese style pastries and bread rolls, egg tarts, cakes, cookies, moon cakes and simmered egg are made with eggs. An egg tart, for instance, contains 65.1 mg of cholesterols while a piece of chiffon cake contains 146.3 mg of cholesterols.

Comparison of Cholesterol Content of Various Types of Eggs (per 1 piece)