If you’ve ever been told to throw out the yolks, skip the steak, or fear butter because of your cholesterol, you’re not alone. For decades, dietary cholesterol from animal-based foods like eggs has been wrongly accused of clogging arteries and increasing heart disease risk.
But the tide is finally turning.
New research, including data published by the American Heart Association, confirms that eggs do not meaningfully raise blood cholesterol in most people. The real dietary villain? Ultra-processed foods high in refined carbohydrates and seed oils.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s behind this shift, and why this matters so much for anyone considering or currently living a carnivore lifestyle.
🧪 What the New Science Shows
A major new study led by researchers from the University of Colorado tracked over 30 years of data and concluded that moderate egg consumption, about one per day, does not increase cardiovascular disease risk in healthy adults [1].
In fact, choline, a key nutrient found in egg yolks, plays a critical role in brain function, cellular repair, and liver health, all of which are often overlooked in old-school cholesterol narratives [2].
Most importantly, the study showed that elevated LDL cholesterol is more closely tied to overall dietary patterns than to individual whole foods like eggs. Specifically, refined carbs, trans fats, and hyper-processed ingredients were the biggest contributors to harmful blood lipid profiles [3].
🍳 Why This Matters for the Carnivore Lifestyle
If you’re following (or curious about) the carnivore lifestyle, this is a big deal. One of the core pillars of animal-based eating is that nutrient density matters more than conventional food myths.
Eggs, liver, steak, salmon, bone broth, these aren’t dangerous indulgences. They’re ancestral superfoods packed with bioavailable vitamins and fats our bodies recognize and need.
🥚 Cholesterol from Food ≠ Cholesterol in Blood
Cholesterol in food doesn’t automatically translate to high cholesterol in your bloodstream. The liver regulates most of your body’s cholesterol supply, meaning that when you eat more cholesterol, your liver simply produces less of it [4].
For most people (around 70 percent), dietary cholesterol has little to no effect on blood cholesterol levels [5].
🧈 Fat is Not the Enemy
Alongside eggs, many people fear saturated fat from butter, tallow, and fatty cuts of meat. But these fats are essential for hormone production, brain function, and cellular health. When consumed as part of a whole-food, low-carb lifestyle, they support metabolic flexibility and improve HDL (the “good” cholesterol) without raising markers of inflammation [6].
🥦 Spoiler: It’s the Processed Carbs
Most of the modern health epidemic isn’t about meat, eggs, or fat. It’s about the processed “food-like substances” that spike blood sugar, damage the gut lining, and inflame arterial walls.
White bread, sugary cereal, sweetened yogurts, and seed oils? That’s what’s pushing cholesterol profiles in the wrong direction—not eggs.
✅ What You Can Do Today
- Eat the yolks. That golden center is where the vitamins live.
- Ditch ultra-processed snacks and oils. If it has a barcode and twenty ingredients, it’s likely not helping your heart.
- Embrace simplicity. Real food doesn’t need to be complicated.
If you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your understanding of how to thrive on animal-based nutrition, my book The Carnivore Lifestyle is a great place to begin.
📘 Ready to Feel Better, Think Sharper, and Eat with Confidence?
The Carnivore Lifestyle: Effortless Health, Optimal Energy, and Mental Clarity is now available on Amazon. It’s a practical guide for those who want to heal inflammation, reclaim energy, and simplify their plate—without sacrificing joy or connection.
📲 Download your pre-reader copy today on ImmerHealth, soon available on Amazon!
🖊️ And don’t forget to leave a review to support others on the path to real health.
🧠 Final Thought
If eggs are no longer the enemy, what else have we been misled about?
It’s time to question the narrative, fuel your body with intention, and return to the foods that helped our ancestors thrive.
🔬 References
- Carson JAS, Lichtenstein AH, Anderson CAM, et al. “Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.” Circulation. 2020;141:e39–e53. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000743
- Zeisel SH, da Costa KA. “Choline: an essential nutrient for public health.” Nutrition Reviews. 2009;67(11):615–623. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00246.x
- Monteiro CA, Cannon G, Levy RB, et al. “Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them.” Public Health Nutrition. 2019;22(5):936–941. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980018003762
- Fernandez ML. “Effects of dietary cholesterol on cholesterol concentration and metabolism in humans.” J Clin Lipidol. 2012;6(1):32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2011.09.010
- Berger S, Raman G, Vishwanathan R, et al. “Dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(2):276–294. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.100305
- Astrup A, et al. “Saturated fats and health: a reassessment and proposal for food-based recommendations.” J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020;76(7):844–857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2020.05.077
