We all know meat is an excellent source of protein – the body uses it to build muscle tissue and repair damaged cells. As with many food types however, there’s been the odd cautionary tone with regards to cholesterol – how much we should be consuming, how it affects our bodies etc.

To recap, cholesterol is a fat-like substance found throughout cells in our bodies; it is essential in the production of hormones, Vitamin D and other substances that assist with digestion. There is essentially ‘bad’ cholesterol (low density lipoproteins – LDL and very low density lipoproteins – VLDL) and ‘good’ cholesterol (high density lipoproteins – HDL). Ideally you want to keep bad cholesterol levels low and good cholesterol levels high as the good helps eliminate the bad which ultimately helps to lower the risk of heart disease.

To this end, for decades we’ve been advised to limit our intake of foods high in cholesterol – this includes eggs, butter and certain seafood. While most meat contains only moderate amounts of cholesterol, it too sometimes fell under the cautionary fold. Until February this year that is, when it came to light that the influential Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, who convene every five years and who are responsible for advising Americans on what scientifically constitutes healthy eating; issued the following watershed announcement in their 2015 draft report: 
“Cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

Translation: you no longer need to worry about the cholesterol content of the foods you eat.

Steve Nissen, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic, told USA Today that “it’s the right decision ... we got the dietary guidelines wrong. They’ve been wrong for decades”. He went on to say that only 20% of a person’s blood cholesterol (the levels measured when we go for the standard cholesterol tests) comes from diet – the rest is derived from genetic makeup.

While the dietary guidelines for 2015 have yet to be finalised, experts agree that the new cholesterol findings and recommendations are bound to be retained and that the advocacy for minimising foods higher in cholesterol will officially be dropped. As with all things, moderation remains important, but the good news is that there’s one less thing to worry about when it comes to enjoying our egg and bacon breakfast.