Can eating more duck eggs lower blood pressure? The truth is...

Rumor: "People with high blood pressure should eat more duck eggs, as duck eggs are good for lowering blood pressure."

Rumor Analysis

That is not the case.

There is no scientific evidence that duck eggs can lower blood pressure. Duck eggs do not have any advantages in potassium and calcium content, which are helpful for controlling blood pressure. In addition, duck eggs are high in cholesterol and have a high sodium content. These two factors are not good for blood pressure, so it is unreliable to expect duck eggs to lower blood pressure.

Many people with high blood pressure are looking for various ways to lower blood pressure. As long as they hear that it is useful, they want to try it. There is a rumor that eating more duck eggs can lower blood pressure. But is this statement credible?

Can eating duck eggs lower blood pressure?

Don't be fooled!

Duck eggs are large in size and have similar overall nutrition to chicken eggs. They are both ideal foods for supplementing high-quality protein. Daily intake of eggs is for a balanced diet. However, there is no scientific basis for the claim that eating duck eggs can lower blood pressure. If eaten incorrectly, they may even aggravate high blood pressure.

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1. Duck eggs have less potassium than chicken eggs

The sodium content in our body is closely related to the blood pressure level, while potassium plays a role in maintaining electrolyte balance in the human body. It can excrete excess sodium, help lower blood pressure, and protect cardiovascular health. For patients with hypertension, consuming more potassium-rich foods on a regular basis is helpful in maintaining stable blood pressure. The potassium content of duck eggs is 135mg/100g, which is not as high as the eggs we usually eat (154mg/100g). It is far worse than the "folk potassium supplement expert" banana, which is only nearly half of the banana. It is not reliable to rely on eating duck eggs to supplement potassium and lower blood pressure!

Comparison of potassium content in common eggs

2. The calcium content of duck eggs is not high

Most literature shows that adequate calcium intake is helpful in lowering blood pressure and reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. The calcium content of duck eggs is 62mg/100g, and one duck egg is about 70g, and the ingestible calcium is only about 43g. The calcium supplement effect is not obvious, and it is better to drink a few more sips of milk. It is not reliable to expect to lower blood pressure by eating duck eggs to supplement calcium!

Comparison of calcium content in common eggs

3. Duck eggs have a high cholesterol content

Many patients with high blood pressure also suffer from high blood lipids. While controlling blood pressure, this group of people also need to pay attention to controlling cholesterol intake. High blood pressure itself is harmful to the health of blood vessels. If high-cholesterol foods are not controlled, it will increase the risk of atherosclerosis and, in turn, the risk of stroke. The cholesterol content of duck eggs is 565mg/100g, which is lower than that of eggs, but the yolk is much larger than that of eggs. The cholesterol intake of eating a duck egg is comparable to that of an egg.

Comparison of cholesterol content in common eggs

4. The sodium content of duck eggs is not low, and salted duck eggs are even higher

We all know that most high blood pressure is related to sodium intake. Sodium ions have the function of binding water molecules. Excessive sodium will increase the blood volume of the whole body, thereby increasing the pressure of blood on the blood vessel wall. At the same time, the binding effect of sodium ions on water molecules will also cause edema of blood vessel wall cells, narrowing the blood vessel cavity, and further causing blood pressure to rise. In other words, if you want to keep blood pressure stable, you have to control sodium in your diet. The sodium content of eggs is not low. Duck eggs are 106mg/100g, which is slightly lower than chicken eggs (132mg/100g). Among the various foods we often eat, the sodium content of duck eggs is higher than that of livestock and poultry meat, green leafy vegetables, tofu, cereals, nuts and other foods.

Comparison of sodium content in common eggs

The most important thing is that many people like to eat salted duck eggs, and their sodium content is "off the charts"! According to the data in the "Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition", the sodium content of boiled salted duck eggs is as high as 1131mg/100g, which is nearly 9 times that of boiled eggs.

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The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that the daily salt intake per person should be controlled below 5 grams, which is equivalent to less than 1 beer bottle cap. However, 1 salted duck egg can make us consume 2 to 5 grams of salt , which is too easy to exceed the standard and may increase blood pressure. In addition, in terms of lowering blood pressure, it is difficult to achieve it by eating a certain food. It should also be combined with drug intervention, a reasonable diet, scientific exercise, etc. to improve.

Summarize:

"Eating more duck eggs can lower blood pressure" is a pure rumor with no scientific basis. If you have high blood pressure and high blood lipids, you should control the amount of duck eggs you eat. If you have high blood pressure, you should still follow the doctor's advice to take medicine on time, eat a light and low-salt diet, exercise moderately, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and get enough sleep.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

Such rumors usually use some scientific terms or seemingly reasonable speculations to increase their persuasiveness. For example, the statement that "duck eggs are rich in potassium and help excrete sodium and lower blood pressure" seems reasonable, but lacks authoritative basis or scientific verification.

In addition, any rumor that simplifies complex health problems into a single cause or solution, such as "eating a certain food can cure a disease" or "a certain behavior can completely prevent a disease", such as "eating fungus can clear blood vessels", "drinking lemon water can fight cancer", "just eat bananas and lower your blood pressure in three days!", "bitter melon soaked in water is the nemesis of high blood sugar!", etc., are all similar rumors. We must know that health problems often involve multiple factors, and it is difficult for a single food or behavior to play a decisive role.

In daily life, we should be skeptical of products or methods that claim to quickly solve complex health problems and confirm whether the source of the information is reliable. For health-related questions, consult professionals such as doctors or nutritionists.

References

[1] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 2[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2019

[2] Peng Jinxiang, Wang Ting. Research progress on the relationship between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular disease[J]. Chinese Journal of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, 2014(4):65-66.

[3]Mott MM, Zhou X, Bradlee ML, et al. Egg Intake Is Associated with Lower Risks of Impaired Fasting Glucose and High Blood Pressure in Framingham Offspring Study Adults. Nutrients. 2023; 15(3): 507.

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Review｜Ruan Guangfeng, Deputy Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center