The presence of ovomucin, a natural trypsin inhibitor in eggs, can help block some of egg cholesterol absorption and bile acid reabsorption through enterohepatic circulation (1). Despite ovomucin, however, there does appear to be enough dietary cholesterol in eggs absorbed that can potentially cause increased cholesterol levels (2;3).
Reference List
1. Nagaoka S, Masaoka M, Zhang Q, Hasegawa M, Watanabe K. Egg ovomucin attenuates hypercholesterolemia in rats and inhibits cholesterol absorption in Caco-2 cells. Lipids 2002;37:267-72.
2. Levy Y, Maor I, Presser D, Aviram M. Consumption of eggs with meals increases the susceptibility of human plasma and low-density lipoprotein to lipid peroxidation. Ann Nutr Metab 1996;40:243-51.
3. Applebaum-Bowden D, Hazzard WR, Cain J, Cheung MC, Kushwaha RS, Albers JJ. Short-term egg yolk feeding in humans. Increase in apolipoprotein B and low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Atherosclerosis 1979;33:385-96.
