More eggs, anyone? Cholesterol in food is not a "nutrient of concern" and has little effect on blood cholesterol, according to a new report by US nutrition experts.
According to recommendations submitted by The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), studies have shown dietary cholesterol does not considerably affect the amount of cholesterol in the blood.
HHS and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will consider the recommendations, along with input from other federal agencies and comments from the public as they develop the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, to be released later this year.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, issued once every five years, contain the latest, science-based nutrition recommendations for the general public with the goal of preventing disease and promoting healthy, active lifestyles.
"Previously, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended that cholesterol intake be limited to no more than 300 mg/day," according to the 2015 scientific report by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.
"The 2015 DGAC will not bring forward this recommendation because available evidence shows no appreciable relationship between consumption of dietary cholesterol and serum (blood) cholesterol," the report said.
"Cholesterol is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption," the report added.
Cholesterol has been a prominent part of dietary warnings and guidelines for more than half a century.
Having high cholesterol can lead to buildup of plaque in artery walls. This can lead to coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attack or stroke.
Foods that are high in cholesterol, include eggs, shrimp and lobster.
The report also identifies underconsumed "shortfall nutrients," including vitamins A, D, E and C, as well as folate, calcium, magnesium, potassium and fibre.
For adolescent and premenopausal females, iron is also considered a shortfall nutrient, 'CNN' reported.
The report singles out two nutrients which are overconsumed by the American population: sodium and saturated fat.
The report found that young children (ages 2-5) are the only ones consuming the recommended amount of fruit and dairy.
The experts encourage dietary patterns that are low in saturated fat, added sugars and sodium.
The goals suggested for the general population are less than 2,300 milligrammes of dietary sodium per day; less than 10 per cent of total calories from saturated fat per day; a maximum of 10 per cent of total calories from added sugars per day, according to the report.
