Most people believe that food ads tell the truth. But in reality, food companies often try to make their products look healthier than they really are. The story of the American Egg Board—an organisation that promotes eggs in the U.S.—shows how government rules sometimes stop companies from making misleading health claims. Thanks to freedom-of-information documents, we now know that even government food agencies have said clearly that eggs cannot legally be advertised as healthy or nutritious because of their cholesterol and saturated fat content. And the same scientific problems apply to eggs sold in India.
The American Egg Board works under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Since taxpayer money is involved, egg companies cannot lie in government-approved advertising. When researchers obtained internal emails, many pages were blacked out, but the visible sections were shocking. When an egg company tried to create a “healthy snacking for kids” brochure, USDA officials warned them that they were not allowed to call eggs healthy or nutritious because eggs contain high cholesterol and saturated fat—both linked to heart disease. These warnings did not come from activists but from the American government itself.
Why this restriction? Because under U.S. and international dietary guidelines, foods high in cholesterol and saturated fat cannot be called “healthy.” One egg has around 186 mg of cholesterol, far above what is considered safe in one serving. Experimental and human studies consistently show that dietary cholesterol and saturated fat raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, increasing heart-disease risk. This is why major bodies—from the American Heart Association, World Health Organization, and even India’s own ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines (2023)—advise limiting foods high in saturated fat and restricting dietary cholesterol.
(References: AHA 2023; WHO 2023; ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines 2023)
To work around this, egg marketers tried using phrases like “nutritional powerhouse” and “excellent weight-loss food.” But USDA rejected these, too. Because eggs are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, they cannot legally be described as “healthy,” “nutritious,” “low fat,” “low calorie,” or even a “rich source of protein.” In fact, the USDA pointed out that proteins like dals, chana, rajma, nuts, and soy provide more nutrition without cholesterol.
In India, the situation is similar. Eggs contain the same cholesterol and saturated fat whether they come from the U.S. or India. The Indian Heart Journal has repeatedly published studies showing that LDL cholesterol is a major driver of India’s rapidly rising heart disease rates. India now has the highest number of premature heart disease deaths in the world.
(Reference: Indian Heart Journal, 2022)
Eggs also have safety issues. Every year, the U.S. sees over 100,000 Salmonella infections linked to eggs. In India, eggs are often stored without refrigeration, transported in heat, exposed to flies, dust, and faecal contamination, and sold in open markets—making Salmonella risk much higher. A study by the National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR) found Salmonella contamination in over 7–10% of Indian eggs.
(Reference: ICMR-NIE Salmonella Surveillance Study, 2021)
Because of these risks, U.S. officials instructed egg companies that they cannot call eggs safe, cannot show runny yolks, and cannot promote soft-boiled or sunny-side-up eggs. Research shows runny yolks can contain live Salmonella and avian influenza viruses. This applies in India even more strongly since poultry farms here often have overcrowded cages, rampant antibiotic use, and poor hygiene. Indian studies have also detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria in egg shells and egg contents.
(Reference: Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology, 2022)
Due to these findings, the USDA told the egg industry that:
• They cannot say eggs are “healthy.”
• They cannot say they are “nutritious.”
• They cannot say eggs are “safe.”
• They cannot say eggs contribute to a healthy diet.
They were permitted only vague phrases like “satisfying,” “fresh,” or “recognizable ingredient”—terms with no health meaning.
The deeper issue is this: when a food cannot legally be advertised as healthy or safe by the world’s largest egg-promoting organisation, it is important for the public to know why. High cholesterol, saturated fat, Salmonella, and antibiotic resistance are real concerns. And with India already facing a heart disease and diabetes epidemic, understanding the truth is even more important.
In simple words: eggs can be eaten occasionally, but they cannot truthfully be called healthy, safe, or nutritious. And this is not activist opinion—these are official scientific guidelines.