What Happens To Your Cholesterol When You Eat Egg Substitute Every Day

Starting your day with a little bit of protein is a great way to control your blood sugar and help you feel full throughout your morning. If you're trying to manage high cholesterol without medication, it's best to stay away from processed meats such as bacon or sausage because they're high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat can raise your risk of heart disease because it can cause cholesterol to clog your arteries.

Dr. Chris Mohr, a registered dietitian and exercise physiologist for Barbend, tells Health Digest that egg substitutes are good choices if you're trying to watch your cholesterol. "Egg substitutes are usually made from egg whites, so they offer an option to boost protein without many calories," he said.

A ¼-cup serving of egg substitute has 29 calories compared to the 80 calories in an extra large egg. Although both have about 6 grams of protein, the egg has 208 milligrams of cholesterol and 1.8 grams of saturated fat. The egg substitute is fat- and cholesterol-free. However, Mohr says you should be more concerned about saturated fat and trans fat rather than dietary cholesterol if you're trying to watch your cholesterol.

Even though an egg is high in dietary cholesterol, it's lower in saturated fat than many types of processed meats (here are some common egg health myths). "Egg substitutes don't have cholesterol, but the bigger concern in the diet is saturated fat, from foods like animal products, full-fat dairy and butter," according to Mohr. The American Heart Association suggests limiting your overall dietary cholesterol and saturated fat if you have high LDL cholesterol.

Mohr prefers whole eggs to egg substitutes. "When you eat dietary cholesterol, your body will produce less," he said. "Similarly, when you eat less, the body will make more as the body needs it for many functions within the body." He suggests focusing more on lowering the saturated fats and trans fats from your diet to lower your cholesterol.

Remember that many of your favorite baked goods can also be high in cholesterol and saturated fat. Some unexpected foods are high in dangerous trans fats, which should be eliminated altogether. McDonald's hotcakes (if you add margarine and syrup) might be relatively low in cholesterol and saturated fat, but they have 4 grams of trans fat.

Mohr says that you can include egg substitutes to help lower your cholesterol. "Egg substitutes offer benefits like extra vitamins and minerals and generally have less fat and fewer calories than whole eggs, which can help with weight control, as part of an overall balanced diet," he explained. Gram for gram, egg substitutes have more than 50% more potassium than a whole egg.

Mohr adds that egg substitutes might not be a perfect swap for eggs when it comes to texture and taste, which might affect some of your favorite recipes. "It's important to also eat a variety of cholesterol-lowering, high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans and exercise regularly to support overall heart health." Foods that are particularly good for lowering cholesterol are oats, barley, and soy. Replacing your red meat with fatty fish such as salmon can lower your LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. You can also keep your cholesterol levels in check by quitting smoking, cutting back on your alcohol consumption, and losing weight.