Metabolic rate, individual genetics, cholesterol-absorption controversies, nutrients of the egg, size of the egg, and definition of "maximum" all contribute to ambiguity.
This list of egg sizes and corresponding nutrition panels with daily recommended values is a good starting place, but I will also address this in a general context of what experts recommend and nutrient content.
Cholesterol
When people talk about eggs, they usually want to talk about cholesterol.
The problem is that the body doesn't fully absorb all of the cholesterol, so there's no hard rule. What we do know is:
- A large egg contains about 185 mg of cholesterol. {2}
- Although there is no precise basis for selecting a target level for
dietary cholesterol intake for all individuals, the AHA recommends
<300 mg/d on average. {3}
- Your body doesn't absorb everything you eat. (That's part of why we go to the bathroom.)
Registered dietitian Leslie Beck recommends:
People at high risk for cardiovascular disease – e.g. people with diabetes, high cholesterol, and/or hypertension and smokers – should definitely limit their intake of egg yolks... some experts advise avoidance.
However, for healthy people with no medical condition, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight are better strategies to guard against heart disease and stroke, not cutting down on eggs (for 70 - 75% of the population). The two studies cited indicate that consumption of eggs does not raise cholesterol levels significantly for about 3/4ths of the population.
Fat and Calories
Each egg yolk contains 6 g of fat and 54 kcal. Even though they're full of nutrients, they still do contain calories, so factor that into your daily intake. Someone who does an average amount of physical activity would probably require an average amount of eggs. Definitely not something on the level of dozens, but even so, giving any numbers would be hard since there are so many factors in play.
Vitamins and Minerals
Eggs are naturally rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium and iodine. They also contain vitamin A and a number of other B vitamins including folate, biotin, pantothenic acid and choline, and essential minerals and trace elements, including phosphorus. {6}
Before reaching a daily recommended value of any of these nutrients though, you would probably far exceed the daily recommended values for fat and calories first, but it's possible to overdose on anything, so be sure to keep track of how much of these nutrients are in each egg that you consume in the event that you're burning off all the fat and calories.
Summary
To know your "maximum" number of eggs, you should probably talk to a dietitian.
Sources
