We’re partnering with Diabetes Canada to share the benefits of eating eggs

Living with diabetes is a challenge. But with the right strategies and techniques, diabetes will not hold you back from living the life you love. And healthy eating, including eggs, can help you make it happen.

It’s all about diet. The key to diabetes management is keeping blood sugar levels in your target range—and in this, studies show that protein-rich foods like eggs can help regulate those levels and improve blood sugar control.¹ That’s the message we’re bringing to Canadians through a partnership with Diabetes Canada.

Diabetes Canada’s mission is to partner with Canadians to End Diabetes through resources for health-care professionals, advocacy work and research to improve treatments and find a cure.² We’re excited to partner with them to offer new resources and tips to help Canadians living with type 2 diabetes integrate eggs into their diet.

Research confirms that eggs have a place in a healthy diet with diabetes. Recent studies have looked at how many eggs could be regularly consumed by people living with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. Results show that up to 12 eggs per week had no adverse effects on body weight, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, fasting blood sugar or insulin levels.³ These studies include eggs as part of a healthy and nutritious diet, which serves as a reminder that overall dietary patterns matter more than one particular food or nutrient.

This is good news for those with type 2 diabetes since eggs are one of nature’s most nutritious foods, with 14 important nutrients. Vitamin A, for instance, helps maintain healthy skin and eye tissue.⁴ Choline is essential for brain development,⁵ while vitamin E helps to prevent disease⁶—not to mention the benefits of folate, selenium, vitamin B12, and of course, protein.

Nutrition is an integral part of the treatment and self-management of diabetes. A good starting point is to follow the healthy diet recommended for the general population based on Canada’s Food Guide, which recommends balancing meals proportionally with 50% vegetables and fruits, 25% protein foods and 25% whole grains.⁷ And of course, matching a balanced diet with a good exercise routine is important. Diabetes Canada recommends 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week and resistance exercise such as lifting weights 2-3 times per week, along with monitoring blood pressure, taking medication as prescribed, managing and reducing stress levels and learning more about your condition.⁸

¹ Pourafshar S et al. Egg consumption may improve factors associated with glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in adults with pre- and type II diabetes. Food Funct. 2018 Aug 15;9(8):4469-4479
² Diabetes Canada
³ Impact of Egg Consumption on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and at Risk for Developing Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Nutritional Intervention Studies
⁴ Community Eye Health Journal, What is vitamin A and why do we need it? (2013)
⁵ National Institutes of Health, Choline Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (2019)
⁶ Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, The role of vitamin E in human health and some diseases (2014)
⁷ Health Canada, Canada’s Food Guide (2019)
⁸ Diabetes Canada, Clinical Practice Guidelines (2018)

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