General News of Tuesday, 29 April 1997

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"Ghanaians are Imune to Egg Cholesterol", says expert

Kumasi Eggs do not account for high cholesterol levels in the human blood in Africa due to the below average consumption rates of eggs by individuals, Dr. Nimako Sarpong, a medical officer of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) has said. He was speaking on "Has egg cholesterol any effect on the Human blood cholesterol?" at a two day seminar of the World Poultry Science Association, Ghana Branch, on the theme "Egg: Nature's most perfect and balanced diet". The seminar coincided with the first anniversary of the Association. Dr Nimako said most Africans and for that matter Ghanaians are unable to provide the average consumption rates of five a week for an adult and once a day for growing children and the youth and so ''there is no cause for alarm''. He therefore called on Ghanaians not to be afraid to eat more eggs which even though contains some amount of cholesterol ''also contains important food values like amino acids, vitamins essential to the growth and development of the human being, especially children''. The Medical Officer said cholesterol in itself which performscertain important functions in the body to assist fertility and determine sex of babies in early pregnancies is not harmful to the body but excess of it. "It therefore follows that low cholesterol levels is equally harmful to the body", he added.