02/27/2015

After Decades of Dietary Warnings, Eggs Make a Comeback

16:46 minutes

For decades, the U.S. government’s dietary guidelines have warned Americans off eggs and other cholesterol-rich foods on the theory that dietary cholesterol increases one’s risk for heart disease. But last week, Americans woke up to a new egg paradigm. According to the nutrition experts on the government’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, cholesterol is no longer a “nutrient of concern.” In fact, if they have their way, the government’s new dietary guidelines won’t include any prohibition against cholesterol at all. Why the reversal? Ira discusses the latest science on cholesterol and fat with the Harvard School of Public Health’s Walter Willett and the Cleveland Clinic’s Steven Nissen.

Segment Guests

Steven Nissen, M.D.

Steven Nissen is the chair of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.

Walter Willett

Dr. Walter Willett is a professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition in the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Meet the Producer

About Annie Minoff

Annie Minoff is a producer for The Journal from Gimlet Media and the Wall Street Journal, and a former co-host and producer of Undiscovered. She also plays the banjo.