Study: Eggs Keep Away Breast Cancer

OHIO, US - A recent study which is yet to be published claims that eggs help reduce the risk of breast cancer, due to a secret nutrient.
calendar icon 25 April 2008
clock icon 3 minute read

The study concludes that dietary choline — an essential, but widely unknown, nutrient found in eggs — is associated with a 24 percent reduced risk of breast cancer.

“Eggs are an excellent source of choline, and they are more palatable and available than other choline sources, like liver and wheat germ,” said Jim Chakeres, executive vice president of the Ohio Poultry Association. “This new study adds to the growing body of evidence that links egg consumption to a decreased breast cancer risk.”

The study, conducted by Dr. Steven Zeisel’s choline research team at the University of North Carolina, examined the diets of 3,000 women and found that the risk of developing breast cancer was 24 percent lower among women with the highest intake of choline compared to the women with the lowest intake. Women with the highest intake of choline consumed a daily average of 455 milligrams of choline or more, getting most of it from coffee, eggs and skim milk. Women with the lowest intake consumed a daily average of 196 milligrams or less.

“While choline is an important nutrient for the human diet, most individuals haven’t even heard of it,” said Chakeres. “And only 10 percent of Americans currently meet the recommended intake for choline.”

According to the Institute of Medicine, adequate choline intake is 550 milligrams per day for men and breastfeeding women, 425 milligrams per day for women, and 450 milligrams per day for pregnant women. One egg contains 125.5 milligrams of choline, or roughly a quarter the recommended daily supply, making eggs an excellent source of this essential nutrient. Choline is found exclusively in the egg’s yolk.

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