It has always been said that eggs are great for heath, however, a new study suggests that too many eggs can also cause diseases or even early death in people.

A bad news for egg lovers as a new study from Northwestern University has suggested that people who consume eggs or cholesterol over three to four times a week may be at a higher risk for heart disease and early death caused by heart attack or stroke.

The research included more than 29,000 people, followed for a median of 17.5 years of follow-up. During the follow-up time, there were 5,400 incidents of heart disease, both fatal and nonfatal.

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The study suggests that eggs are a ‘major source of dietary cholesterol’. During their analysis, the authors discovered 17% increased risk of cardiovascular disease and 18% increased risk of premature death linked to each additional 300mg of dietary cholesterol had each day.

Also, each additional half an egg eaten each day, or three to four eggs per week is associated with a 6% higher risk of heart disease and an 8% higher risk of early death, reported USA Today.

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

The authors did not suggest to stop eating eggs altogether, but to eat them in moderation. They explained that an average large egg including its yolk is about 50g and contains around 186mg of cholesterol only, as per CNN.