These days it feels very much like fad diets and strict rules regarding the consumption of food are all the rage.
Many individuals have specific objectives in mind when they choose to make significant changes to their dietary habits. This could involve weight gain or loss, a desire for a healthier lifestyle, or a misalignment between their current diet and personal values.
It is reasonable to assert that most of us have previously eliminated certain foods from our diets. However, it is also true that very few have embarked on a challenge comparable to that of Dr. Nick Norwitz.
Dr. Norwitz, a researcher and educator whose website aims to “Make Metabolic Health Mainstream,” recently gained attention on the internet through his YouTube channel, where he chronicled his experience of consuming 700 eggs over the course of a month to observe the effects on his body.
Indeed, 700 eggs! For those curious, this equates to two cartons of eggs daily for 30 days, or, as Dr. Norwitz describes it, one egg every hour. This is undoubtedly a challenge that requires considerable resolve.
To meet his goal, Dr. Norwitz needed to consume an impressive 24 eggs each day. His motivation for undertaking what many would consider a daunting and extreme dietary regimen? He aimed to validate his hypothesis that such a high intake of cholesterol-laden eggs would not have a significant effect on his cholesterol levels, particularly his LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol.
You are likely familiar with cholesterol, which is widely regarded as a potential risk factor for heart health when present at consistently high levels.
In my youth, we were taught that cholesterol was unequivocally harmful, and that daily consumption of cholesterol-rich foods could lead to serious health issues in the future.
24 eggs a day
Times inevitably evolve, and so too does the prevailing opinion among health professionals. Currently, some individuals contend that cholesterol may not be as perilous as it was once believed to be. While I am not a medical expert and cannot endorse the consumption of 24 eggs daily (please refrain from attempting this at home), it is important to acknowledge the intriguing findings presented by Dr. Norwitz in his experiment.
According to Dr. Norwitz’s YouTube channel, his cholesterol levels did not show the anticipated increase after he consumed an astonishing 720 eggs over the course of a month.
Instead, he reported an unexpected outcome: his LDL cholesterol levels not only remained stable but actually decreased over time. In the initial two weeks, Dr. Norwitz experienced a 2 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol, which further declined by 18 percent in the subsequent two weeks.
Exploring the scientific basis for these results, Dr. Norwitz noted that the liver’s regulation of cholesterol production is affected by dietary choices. After incorporating more carbohydrates into his diet, he observed a stabilization in his LDL levels.
“The additional carbohydrates outweighed the significant amounts of cholesterol I was ingesting,” he stated, as reported by the New York Post.
In the final two weeks of his experiment, Norwitz opted for fruits like blueberries, bananas, and strawberries, which contributed to the remarkable decrease in his cholesterol levels.
Have you ever embarked on an unusual food challenge or experimented with a new diet? We invite you to share your experiences in the comments.
