Bacon and eggs were regulars on the breakfast table until we learned that high fat was bad for us (bye-bye bacon), and even those eggs - sunny-side up, scrambled, or fried - were bad for our cholesterol. But now, nutrition experts aren't taking such a hard-boiled line against eggs.

In fact, eggs are back on the menu. The American Heart Association (AHA) has changed its position on the egg. In 1972, the AHA set guidelines recommending that Americans restrict their consumption of eggs to no more than three per week. Now, the AHA says it's OK for healthy Americans to eat an egg a day.

Why the switch? The AHA's change of heart acknowledges more than two decades of research showing that egg consumption should not be a concern for a majority of people, according to Donald J. McNamara, PhD, executive director of the Egg Nutrition Center.

"Rather than avoiding eggs, consumers can now include more eggs in their diet if they limit the amount of other foods containing dietary cholesterol," says Rebecca Mullis, PhD, RD, who chairs the Food and Nutrition Department, University of Georgia, and is a member of the AHA nutrition committee.

Elevated cholesterol levels increase the risk for heart disease because the fat-like substance adheres to artery walls, clogging them and eventually leading to heart attacks and strokes.

That explains why the AHA's long-standing recommendation has been to limit dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg daily. Alice Lichtenstein, vice-chair of the association's nutrition committee and professor of nutrition at Tufts University, points out that having one egg every morning means a whopping 213 milligrams of cholesterol. This calls for an individual's "budgeting" of cholesterol for the rest of the meals consumed that day.

She says you can "fit" egg consumption into your diet if you make the necessary adjustments and choices within the "context of your total diet" which should include an abundance of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole gains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, and fish.

Research proves eggs' essentials

The fact is, eggs are loaded with good stuff. Mullis says eggs have high-quality protein, 13 essential vitamins and minerals, significant amounts of vitamin B-12, vitamin D and folate, making eggs a rather nutritious contribution to the American diet.

"In addition, new research shows that eggs contain compounds that may help reduce age-related macular degeneration and improve long-term memory function. According to a more recent study, a compound found in eggs may even contribute to reducing risk for heart disease," Mullis says.

Scientific and nutrition experts applaud the AHA's change of guidelines on eggs, citing the abundance of research in the area of cholesterol and heart disease, which vindicates eggs' role in a healthy diet. Scientists point to a landmark Harvard University study, which concluded that one egg a day did not have a significant impact on the risk of coronary heart disease. The study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, April 1999.

A study published in the October 2000 Supplement to the Journal of the American College of Nutrition suggests that choline, an essential ingredient found abundantly in eggs and milk, when taken during pregnancy, may be key in the development of an infant's memory function, and may improve memory capability later in life.

A separate study in the same publication showed that two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin, found in eggs and certain vegetables, significantly reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

Then there was the report in the AHA's journal Circulation (June 2001) on research showing that lutein, a nutrient found in egg yolks, may help to reduce the risk of heart disease. In this study of 480 middle-aged men and women, those with the highest blood levels of lutein showed the least thickening in their artery walls over an 18-month period. Research has shown that lutein from eggs yolks is better absorbed by the body than from a comparable serving of vegetables.

"Americans never really abandoned their love affair with the egg - whether it's scrambled, fried or sunny side up," says Dolph Baker, chairman of the American Egg Board. "Eggs taste good, they're affordable, easy to digest and easy to prepare. Now the latest research not only vindicates eggs, but shows they may even have more health benefits than previously thought."

Dietary tips to lower cholesterol

Some dietary changes, such as the ones below, along with increasing physical activity, can reduce cholesterol levels and improve your cardiovascular health:

• Choose foods low in saturated fat. Research now shows that saturated fat and trans fat are the more serious contributors to heart disease. Foods from animals are highest in saturated fats, including fatty cuts of meat, chicken or other poultry with skin, whole-milk dairy products, and lard. So, hold the sausage, hold the bacon.

• Choose foods low in total fat. This will help you avoid foods high in saturated fat, and will also help you lose weight, if needed. If you are overweight, losing weight can be an important part of lowering your cholesterol.

• Choose foods high in starch and fiber. Soluble fiber, which is found in foods like oatmeal, barley, and beans, binds with cholesterol in the digestive tract and carries it out of the body.

• Choose foods low in cholesterol. Foods high in cholesterol can increase your blood levels of cholesterol. Plants and foods from plant sources don't contain cholesterol (though they sometimes have saturated fat).

• Choose nuts. A study, published in the September issue of The Journal of Nutrition, found that adding 2 ounces of pecans a day to the low-fat, heart-healthy diet recommended by the AHA, lowered cholesterol levels more than the diet alone. Walnuts and other tree nuts have been found to have the same effect.

Making dietary and lifestyle changes are considered the first line for lowering cholesterol. However, not everyone can successfully lower cholesterol through diet and exercise alone. For these people, doctors often recommend a class of drugs known as statins. Studies have shown that statins can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease by at least 30%.