AskNadia: How Many Eggs Should People With Diabetes Eat?
Dear Nadia,
I am a type 1 for 18 years. I read that eating one egg with two meals a day lowers your blood sugar. Is this true?
Patty M
Dear Patty:
For years eggs were given a bad rap by many medical experts for being a high-cholesterol food that could only add to the risk of heart disease. This thought was not a result of any evidence-based studies, showing a correlation between egg consumption and heart disease.
Eggs are protein-rich, have “good” cholesterol and no significant carbohydrates. That means that they don’t increase blood sugars while helping satisfy hunger.
Dr. Walter Willett, Nutrition Department chairman at the Harvard School of Public Health says “It probably doesn’t make a huge difference for most people whether they eat eggs with or without the yolks. However, there is a caveat for people with diabetes. We have seen in repeated studies that higher egg consumption does increase risk of heart disease so we suggest that people with diabetes keep egg consumption and cholesterol intake low. Whether there are some other groups that might be more sensitive is still not clear.”
Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study reports, heart disease goes up for people with diabetes who consume more than 3 yokes a week, suggesting daily consumption of egg whites should be fine.
Based on the research, it appears-no more than 3 yokes a week. If you have a healthy partner without diabetes, studies show one egg a day not to exceed 7 for the week has no significant consequences to non-diabetics. Any more than 7 a week can impact their cardiovascular risk later in life.
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Disclaimer:
Nadia’s feedback on your question is in no way intended to initiate or replace your healthcare professional’s therapy or advice. Please check in with your medical team to discuss your diabetes management concerns.
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AskNadia (ranked #1 by Google), named “Best Diabetes Blog for 2017 by Healthline and with 23 nominations, Nadia Al-Samarrie’s efforts have made her stand out as a pioneer and leading patient advocate in the diabetes community.
Nadia was not only born into a family with diabetes but also married into one. She was propelled at a young age into “caretaker mode,” and with her knowledge of the scarcity of resources, support, and understanding for people with diabetes, co-founded Diabetes Interview, now Diabetes Health magazine.
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