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They’re a staple feature of many people’s diets, but it seems that eating eggs could have serious effects on your heart health.

A new study by researchers from Northwestern University has found that people who eat eggs have a ‘significantly higher’ risk of heart disease.

Dr Norrina Allen, co-author of the study, said: “The take-home message is really about cholesterol, which happens to be high in eggs and specifically yolks.

“As part of a healthy diet, people need to consume lower amounts of cholesterol. People who consume less cholesterol have a lower risk of heart disease.”

(Image: Getty)

In the study, the researchers analysed the diets and medical results of nearly 30,000 participants for an average of 17.5 years.

An analysis of the results revealed that people who ate 3-4 eggs per week had a 6% higher risk hear disease, and 8% higher risk of death.

In particular, it seems that the cholesterol found in eggs may be to blame.

Egg yolks are one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol among all commonly consumed foods, with one large egg containing around 186 milligrams of cholesterol.

(Image: The Image Bank)

Dr Allen said: “Our study showed if two people had exact same diet and the only difference in diet was eggs, then you could directly measure the effect of the egg consumption on heart disease.

“We found cholesterol, regardless of the source, was associated with an increased risk of heart disease."

If you love eggs, don’t panic. The researchers advise that you don’t have to completely banish eggs, but instead to just be wary about how many you eat.

Dr Allen added: “We want to remind people there is cholesterol in eggs, specifically yolks, and this has a harmful effect. Eat them in moderation."