Eggs get rehabilitated

American Demographics, August, 1997 by Marcia Mogelonsky

Eggs used to be good food--in the 1940s, egg consumption hovered around 400 per capita per year. But eggs were one of the first foods to be dethroned by the health police. Americans were advised to restrict their daily cholesterol intake to under 300 milligrams to remain "heart healthy." A single egg yolk contains an average of 230 milligrams of cholesterol, leaving very little room for the daily egg eater to eat anything else. By 1992, egg consumption had dropped to 235 per capita.

Things are looking up, however. After studying years of accumulated data, scientists have revamped their thinking about the lowly egg. New guidelines suggest that adults with normal blood cholesterol levels who maintain a low-fat diet can eat one or even two eggs a day pretty much risk-free.

Most Americans seem to have embraced that news with great enthusiasm--almost 94 percent of households purchased eggs last year, according to ACNielsen. Families with children aged 6 to 17 are 34 percent more likely than expected to use eggs; those with children aged 13 to 17 are 25 percent more likely.

Although they are inexpensive, low-fat, and easy to cook, eggs do not appeal to singles. Singles under age 35 are 63 percent less likely than expected to eat eggs; those aged 35 to 54 are 55 percent less likely, and older singles are 41 percent less likely. One reason may be that a dozen oeggs to a carton seems like too many for a person living alone. It may also be that the egg's tarnished reputation has not been completely exonerated--eggs may need better public relations to restore them to their place of honor.