Somewhere along the journey, omelets made exclusively with egg whites became a nutritional “Thing.” And even non-vegans swear by those expensive egg substitutes that come in the little milk carton-like boxes.

So are eggs – real, complete yolk-and-all eggs – good for you or not?

Here's what happened: in 1961, the American Heart Association proclaimed that we should all cut back on cholesterol. That, you may know by now, is the waxy substance that is best known for “clogging your arteries.”

But cholesterol is actually essential for all human life, yet for nearly a half-century the pop nutritionists have been making you think it was akin to kryptonite. In fact, your very own liver produces cholesterol; it's a necessary part of your biochemistry, an essential component of your cells' membranes. Without it, you would die, speedily.

Here's a key fact: just because some food is high in cholesterol doesn't necessarily mean it raises the level of cholesterol in your blood. Your liver is aware of when you eat food that is high in cholesterol and just manufactures less of it. If you decide to cut back on your cholesterol consumption, your liver just makes more.

There's no question that eggs (with their yolks) are high in cholesterol. They are, in fact, the single highest source of cholesterol on most anyone's diet. But eating 1 to 2 eggs per day has zero effect on your blood cholesterol levels or risk of heart disease. A review of 17 observational studies with a total of 263,938 people found absolutely no association between egg consumption and heart disease or stroke.

It gets better: Although the LDL (“bad”) cholesterol tends to stay the same when you eat eggs, the HDL (“good”) cholesterol typically increases. What's more, eating omega-3 enriched eggs may help lower triglyceride levels.

The jury is still out, however, on egg consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes. A review of two studies involving more than 50,000 adults found that those consuming at least one egg daily were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who ate less than one egg per week. But other studies have connected eating eggs with improvements in insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation in people with prediabetes and diabetes. Yet another study of people with diabetes who consumed a high-protein, high-cholesterol diet containing 2 eggs per day demonstrated reductions in fasting blood sugar, insulin and blood pressure, along with an increase in HDL cholesterol.

Bottom line? Don't fear the yolk. Eggs are probably the least expensive high-quality protein you can eat. If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, have your overall diet approved and monitored by your doctor.