What you learned in school
Health classes taught that eating eggs, especially egg yolks, would directly raise blood cholesterol levels and significantly increase heart disease risk. Students learned to limit eggs to no more than a few per week to prevent cardiovascular problems. Nutrition textbooks listed eggs as high-cholesterol foods to avoid, similar to fatty meats. The dietary guidelines emphasized that all cholesterol-containing foods should be minimized, with eggs being a primary target for restriction due to their high cholesterol content.
What we know now
Health classes taught that eating eggs, especially egg yolks, would directly raise blood cholesterol levels and increase heart disease risk. Students learned to limit eggs to prevent cardiovascular problems. For most people, dietary cholesterol has minimal impact on blood cholesterol levels. The liver produces most of the body's cholesterol and adjusts production based on dietary intake. Eggs contain beneficial nutrients including protein, vitamins, and healthy fats. Recent dietary guidelines have removed limits on dietary cholesterol for healthy individuals. The connection between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol was oversimplified.