Eggs and diabetes

A new study confirms what I've been telling my diabetic patients for years: though eating eggs doesn't seem to have a negative effect on the health of most people, those with diabetes need to steer clear of eating too many. Here's what the Harvard Heart Letter said recently about this new study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2008.

In 1998, a huge study showed that eating an egg a day had no effect on heart disease — except among people with diabetes. This pattern was supported by a new study of 21,000 male physicians whose health was followed for 20 years. Although egg consumption had no effect on rates of heart attack or stroke, men who ate more than seven eggs a week, especially those with diabetes, were more likely to have died during the study. If you are partial to eggs, try egg whites. And skip the bacon and butter-slathered toast.

And here's a recipe, published in the Harvard Medical School report called Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes that egg-lovers can relish guilt-free — whether or not they have diabetes.

Makes 4 servings

8 low-fat vegetarian breakfast links

2 slices whole-grain bread

1 (8-ounce) container Egg Beaters

½ cup skim milk

2 teaspoons hot sauce*

2 tablespoons chopped chives or 1 tablespoon dried chives

1 cup grated low-fat Monterey jack or cheddar cheese (choose brand with lowest sodium content)

*Frank's Hot Sauce is a good choice, as it has a vinegary taste without being too hot.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place breakfast links on sheet pan and bake 10 minutes or until heated through. While links are cooking, place bread in oven to dry. In a bowl, combine Egg Beaters, milk, hot sauce, and chives. When links are cooked, slice into rounds. When bread is dry, remove from oven. Spray 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Break dry bread into small pieces and line bottom of prepared pie pan. Sprinkle sliced links over bread, and then sprinkle grated cheese on top of mixture, distributing evenly. Pour egg mixture over entire mixture and place in oven. Bake 30–35 minutes until set. Cool slightly and serve.

Do you cook with egg substitutes? What recipes do you find they work best in?

Julie K. Silver, M.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. She is also the Chief Editor of Books for Harvard Health Publications.

Diabetes & Diet
One of the biggest concerns for people with diabetes is their diet. Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetestakes the guesswork out of meal time, providing healthy eating strategies to prevent and treat the most common form of diabetes—Type 2 diabetes. The special report from Harvard Medical School includes meal plans, physical activity ideas, and 40 original recipes to get you on the path to healthy eating and living.

Are you Living With Diabetes? Connect with others with similar health concerns and issues. Click here to join the group.

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