Good egg, or bad egg?

The center was angered because at least some of the egg companies add a flaxseed-derived omega-3 called AHA to the feed. This, although an omega-3, is only inefficiently converted to the DHA and EPA omega-3s that help the heart. The group was equally outraged at the idea that eggs, with all their cholesterol, would be considered a healthful delivery system.

But, in fact, they may just be.

The main dietary culprit in raising cholesterol is not the cholesterol we eat, says Dr. Joseph Keenan, a professor of medicine and cholesterol researcher at the University of Minnesota. A diet high in saturated fats has a far greater effect on the bad, or LDL, cholesterol in our bloodstream. That's partly because our bodies use only 25% of the cholesterol we eat but 75% of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Some researchers say that the confusion over blood cholesterol and dietary cholesterol may have resulted in the egg getting a far worse reputation than it deserves. Eggs, they note, are inexpensive, full of protein and contain high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against blindness from macular degeneration.

A recent issue of Nutrition Source, a consumer bulletin published by the Harvard School of Public Health, ticked off a few more egg attributes, including the vitamins B12 and D, riboflavin and folate, which may help lower the risk of heart disease.