Annatto-enriched eggs and heart risk markers in healthy adults
What it found
In 105 healthy adults, eating two eggs a day for 8 weeks, with or without added Annatto, did not change blood fats or other heart risk markers compared with egg whites.
The trial measured cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoproteins and lipoprotein particles.
What they found
Studies in people
Cholesterol and triglycerides
There were no significant changes over time or between groups in triglycerides, LDL cholesterol or HDL cholesterol. The authors say two eggs a day did not unfavourably alter these markers.
Apolipoproteins and ratios
Apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B and related atherogenic indexes showed no significant changes in any treatment group over the two time points.
Lipoprotein particles
Nuclear magnetic resonance found no significant differences in the number, size or concentration of lipoprotein particles between groups. In the egg white group, the mean size of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins rose by 2.1%, while the egg and egg plus Annatto groups showed slight reductions of 4.9% and 3.1%.
Liver enzymes
Liver enzymes stayed below the upper normal limits for the whole group at the end of the intervention, with no significant differences between groups over time.
Annatto addition
Adding Annatto to the eggs did not change any of the lipid biomarkers measured, compared with plain eggs or egg whites.
What the authors conclude
“The addition of Annatto did not modify any of the lipid biomarkers measured.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that eggs can be part of a balanced and healthy diet without increasing cardiovascular risk factors in this population.
- They state that the addition of Annatto did not modify any of the lipid biomarkers measured.
- They advise that future studies should look at Annatto's contribution to oxidative stress and inflammation markers when combined with eggs.
How it was done
The authors wanted to test whether eggs enriched with Annatto, a carotenoid source, affect cardiovascular risk markers, since information on Annatto's effects in people is limited and egg consumption remains debated.
They randomly assigned 105 men and women, matched by age, sex and body mass index, to eat either two eggs, two eggs with Annatto, or two egg whites daily for 8 weeks. Blood lipids, apolipoproteins, lipoprotein particles and liver enzymes were measured before and after.
What it can’t tell you
- The trial could not be blinded, so participants knew which food they were eating, which may have influenced the results.
- The study lasted only 8 weeks, so it cannot show what happens over longer periods.
- The findings apply to healthy adults aged 18 to 59 with a body mass index between 18.5 and 29.9, not to other groups.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by Colciencias; Universidad de Antioquia (from the PubMed record).
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest. Avinal had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.
- Authors work at
- School of Microbiology, Colombia; School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Colombia; University of Arizona, USA
The paper
- Title
- Consumption of Eggs Alone or Enriched with Annatto ( Bixa orellana L.) Does Not Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Adults-A Randomized Clinical Trial, the Eggant Study
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Galvis Y, Pineda K, Zapata J, et al (2023). Consumption of Eggs Alone or Enriched with Annatto ( Bixa orellana L.) Does Not Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Healthy Adults-A Randomized Clinical Trial, the Eggant Study. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu15020369Free full textPubMed 36678239DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error