Eggs versus oats, what’s better for your heart health?
On the 25th of June, Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess, posted a video with the title ‘Why 10 Eggs a Day is Fine: The Science of Cholesterol & Heart Health’.
In this fact-check, we break down some of the key claims Jessie Inchauspé makes in the video.
Most evidence does not suggest that eggs are unhealthy or bad for cholesterol and heart health. However, there may be an upper limit to the number of eggs considered healthy. The narrative that porridge and juice are bad breakfast foods is also unsupported by evidence.
The advice around eggs is confusing, with a lot of conflicting information. Read on for a clear breakdown of these new claims.
Always be wary of claims that don’t clearly cite their evidence.
Claim 1: “Eggs are better for you than having oats and juice in the morning for your heart.”
In her video, Inchauspé explains that we need to reduce sugar to improve heart health. This leads into Jessie saying “[...] so instead of having orange juice and oats in the morning, which are carbs and turn to glucose in the body…have eggs.”
Simplifying oats into a food that simply turns to glucose in the bloodstream ignores the fact that they are complex carbohydrates, with plenty of fibre and are associated with several health benefits. Furthermore, categorical statements such as have food X but not Y are usually exaggerated.
It is important to make a distinction between naturally occurring sugar and added sugar. Naturally occurring sugars are those found naturally in foods such as milk, fruits, and vegetables. Together with those sugars, these foods contain vitamins, minerals, and fibre, making them important components of our diet. Added sugars are, like the name suggests, added to food products. Added sugars, or ‘free sugars’, are commonly found in biscuits, chocolate, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals and fizzy drinks.
.avif)
On average, the UK population consumes too much added sugar. Therefore, the advice to reduce the consumption of foods high in free sugars isn’t necessarily ‘wrong’. However, the sugar found in oats is not the same free sugars found in a fizzy drink. Oats are primarily complex carbohydrates - starch, which digests more slowly than non-complex carbohydrates such as white bread, meaning they leave you feeling fuller for longer. Oats also contain fibre, especially beta-glucan, which has been consistently shown to reduce cholesterol. Consuming oats is widely recognised as health-promoting; their health benefits include regulating blood sugar, promoting satiety, lowering LDL-cholesterol levels, and enhancing immune function.
Fruit juice could be substituted for whole fruit to make breakfast healthier. This study shows that sugar-sweetened beverages and juices increase pro-inflammatory markers, increase triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein ratio, while whole fruits showed lower proinflammatory markers, lower blood lipids.
Claim 2: Replacing oats with eggs for breakfast lowers inflammation.
Fact-check: This is overstated, as the study Jessie cites did not show eggs were universally better than oats.
In her video, Inchauspé cites a study that, she claims, shows eggs are better for you than oats because they lower inflammation in people with diabetes. She claims the study shows that when people replace their oats with eggs, the inflammation in their bloodstream goes down. In this study, the participants were given a calorie-matched breakfast with either one egg/day or 40 g of oatmeal for 5 weeks, then had a 3-week break, then consumed the alternate breakfast for 5 weeks.
What did the study actually say?
When we look at the study, Inchauspé is missing out on several key results to give the full picture. After consuming the egg and oats breakfasts, the two groups had no significant differences in weight, fat, blood pressure, lipids, HbA1c, insulin, and C-reactive protein, which is the main inflammatory marker. They did, however, find that one inflammatory marker was lower in the egg group, a marker called TNF-alpha. However, as they didn’t measure this marker at the start of the study, it’s possible that both eggs and oats actually decreased TNF-alpha, and it just decreased further in the eggs group.
The participants of the study were served one egg with vegetables and bread or tortillas. It is a well-known fact that vegetables are good for many reasons. Therefore, the addition of those in your breakfast is always a good idea whether it is with eggs or oatmeal, granted that could be considered strange. Secondly, the participants were given bread or tortillas, meaning they were consuming carbs with their eggs. Hence, the argument that eating carbohydrates is a bad idea doesn’t hold.
The study authors suggest that consuming 1 egg if you have type 2 diabetes could be beneficial when compared to oatmeal. Type 2 diabetes is a complex chronic disease, and what applies to this group may not necessarily apply to another group, such as a generally healthy population. Making recommendations based on one study like this doesn’t apply to the general population.
Claim 3: Eating “10 eggs a day is fine.”
Fact-check: The title of the video, “Why 10 Eggs a Day is Fine”, is a very bold statement, likely designed to grab attention. Inchauspé does not clearly provide evidence for this claim in the video.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of 66 randomised clinical trials concluded that one egg per day can be considered safe and a useful recommendation for the prevention of cardiovascular disease; however, consuming more than one egg per day can significantly elevate blood total and LDL-cholesterol levels.
Final take away
Be wary of bold claims that exaggerate study results to grab your attention and possibly aim to sell you a product. Claims that strongly suggest eating one type of food over another when it comes to whole foods should be considered carefully.
Nutrition content often sets foods up against each other. This framing is usually used to promote a particular dietary pattern as superior, rather than reflecting the evidence base. In reality, whole foods like eggs and oats are not simple substitutes, and both can play different roles in a balanced diet.
Disclaimer
This fact-check is intended to provide information based on available scientific evidence. It should not be considered as medical advice. For personalised health guidance, consult with a qualified healthcare professional.
Sources
NHS (2023). “Sugar: the facts.”
Zurbau, A. et al. (2021). “The effect of oat β-glucan on postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses: a systematic review and meta-analysis.”
Rebello, C.J. et al. (2016). “Dietary fiber and satiety: the effects of oats on satiety.”
Martínez-Villaluenga, C. & Peñas, E. (2017). “Health benefits of oat: current evidence and molecular mechanisms.”
Chen, O. et al. (2021). “The Role of Oat Nutrients in the Immune System: A Narrative Review.”
Li, X. et al. (2023). “Fructose consumption from different food sources and cardiometabolic biomarkers: cross-sectional associations in US men and women.”
Ballesteros, M.N. et al. (2015). “One Egg per Day Improves Inflammation when Compared to an Oatmeal-Based Breakfast without Increasing Other Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Diabetic Patients.”
Sikaroudi, M.K. et al. (2020). “The responses of different dosages of egg consumption on blood lipid profile: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.”
Foodfacts.org is an independent non-profit fact-checking platform dedicated to exposing misinformation in the food industry. We provide transparent, science-based insights on nutrition, health, and environmental impacts, empowering consumers to make informed choices for a healthier society and planet.
🛡️ Stand Against Nutrition Misinformation
Misinformation is a growing threat to our health and planet. At FoodFacts.org, we're dedicated to exposing the truth behind misleading food narratives. But we can't do it without your support.
Your monthly donation can:
✅ Combat viral diet myths and corporate spin
✅ Support our team of dedicated fact-checkers and educators
✅ Keep our myth-busting platforms running
.svg)
.svg){kind=icon}
