A new study revealed from Finland that cholesterol-rich foods, including egg yolks, can not increase the risk of heart disease than previously thought.

The researchers observed 1032 men 42-60 with no apparent health problems in old age. About a third of the men had the ApoE4 gene is an important property that. With an increased risk for cardiovascular disease control and Alzheimer’s disease The men were given questionnaires about their diet, and were then observed for an average of 21 long years. At this time, more than one-fifth of men – 230 in number – I developed consume per week coronary heart disease by about 2,800 milligrams of cholesterol.

On cholesterol to men who during the study period, more than a quarter of their cholesterol intake came to eat four eggs consumed per week on average. Eggs, especially the yolks have long been known as one of the main sources of cholesterol, which contains about 180 milligrams per serving.

The researchers add controls for age, education, body mass index [BMI], diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and other health problems to reach its conclusion – there is no association between heart disease and consumption of egg yolks and overall cholesterol. This applies regardless of whether the men had the ApoE4 gene or not.

In all cases, the researchers believe that it is always important to people is to reduce their intake of cholesterol, are also taken into account the results of the study.

“Moderate consumption of cholesterol, does not seem to increase the risk of heart disease, even among those people most at risk,” said Jyrki Virtanen of the study lead, the University of Eastern Finland. He also stressed that it was between intake of whole cholesterol and the thickness of the carotid artery, a major feature of atherosclerosis no association.

In light of the study, experts such as the University of Colorado Dr. Robert Eckel believe that attention should be less focus on certain types of foods that can not be beneficial for health or not, and diets more certain foods.

“The eggs are getting a lot of attention because they are so popular and for a while, we are kind of slander,” Eckel said TIME. “But I’m much more concerned about people who eat more fruits and vegetables, and stick to a healthy eating pattern as a Mediterranean diet or the DASH diet.”

The study results were published Wednesday in the journal American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.