As part of a balanced diet, eggs can have many health benefits. A growing body of research suggests that eating eggs may also promote weight loss. Eggs are high in protein, low in calories, and can boost metabolism. In this article, we describe how to use eggs to aid weight loss, including when to eat them and how to prepare them.
Why are eggs good for weight loss?
Eggs can promote weight loss for three reasons:
1. Eggs are nutritious and low in calories.
Eggs are low in calories and high in protein.
One large hard-boiled egg contains 78 calories and several important nutrients, including:
lutein and zeaxanthin, which are antioxidants that promote good eyesight.
vitamin D, which promotes bone health and immune function
choline, which stimulates metabolism and contributes to fetal brain development.
The easiest way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake, and adding eggs to your diet can help with this.
For example, a lunch or dinner of two hard-boiled eggs and a cup of mixed vegetables is only 274 calories. However, cooking eggs with oil or butter significantly increases their caloric and fat content. A tablespoon of olive oil, for example, contains 119 calories.
2. Eggs are rich in protein
Protein helps with weight loss because it is extremely filling. Eggs are a good source of protein, with a large egg providing around 6 grams (g). The dietary reference intake for protein is 0.8 g per kilogram of body weight.
That means :
the average sedentary man needs 56 g of protein per day.
an average sedentary woman needs 46 g of protein per day.
Therefore, two large eggs provide more than 25% of the daily protein needs of the average sedentary woman and more than 20% of the needs of the average sedentary man.
Some research indicates that eating a high-protein breakfast increases a person’s satiety, or feelings of fullness. The results also suggest that a high-protein breakfast reduces calorie intake for the rest of the day. A 2012 study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, suggests that dietary protein helps treat obesity and metabolic syndrome, in part because it makes you feel fuller.
3. Eggs can speed up metabolism
A high-protein diet can improve metabolism through a process called the thermic effect of food. This happens because the body has to use extra calories to digest and process the nutrients in food. Carbohydrates and fats also stimulate metabolism, but to a lesser extent than protein.
According to the results of a 2014 study:
Protein increases a person’s metabolic rate by 15-30%.
Carbohydrates increase metabolic rate by 5 to 10 percent.
Fat only increases metabolic rate by 3%.
Therefore, eating eggs and other protein-rich foods can help people burn more calories than eating carbohydrates or fat.
when to eat eggs
Research suggests that someone who eats an egg-based breakfast may consume less food throughout the day. Eggs can be especially helpful for weight loss if a person eats them for breakfast. In 2005, researchers compared the effects of eating an egg-based breakfast and a baked breakfast in overweight female participants. Both breakfasts had the same number of calories, but the participants who ate eggs ate significantly less food the rest of the day. In a 2013 study, adult men who ate eggs for breakfast needed smaller breakfasts and seemed to feel fuller than those who ate high-carb breakfasts.
However, it is still important to monitor your calorie intake. A 2008 study indicated that an egg-based breakfast promoted weight loss in overweight or obese participants, but only as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
How to eat eggs to lose weight
The key is to incorporate them into a healthy diet. It seems that eating eggs for breakfast is the best approach, as it can reduce the number of calories a person consumes for the rest of the day.
Eggs are nutritious and easy to prepare. People often like:
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Serve them with vegetables for breakfast for a filling, fiber-rich meal, or add hard-boiled eggs to a salad for lunch. For a hearty dinner, top a salad of quinoa and sautéed vegetables with a poached egg.
How many eggs should a person eat?
Incorporating a moderate amount of eggs into a balanced diet may have health benefits. Recent research suggests that eating one egg a day may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The researchers tracked the effects in nearly half a million adults living in China over a 9-year period.
However, it is important to note that the people in this study were not following the standard American diet. The authors of a 2018 study reported that eating at least 12 eggs a week for 3 months did not increase cardiovascular risk factors in participants with diabetes or prediabetes.
It is important to note that these participants followed a diet designed to lose weight. These results suggest that consuming a moderate amount of eggs can be beneficial for health, as long as the person incorporates them into a balanced diet. However, since egg yolks are high in cholesterol, people at risk for heart disease may want to limit themselves to one or two egg whites a day. You should also avoid adding animal fats, such as butter or bacon grease, to your egg meals.
Summary
Eggs are a low-calorie food rich in protein and other nutrients. Eating eggs can promote weight loss, especially if the person incorporates them into a low-calorie diet. Research suggests that eggs stimulate metabolic activity and increase feelings of satiety. Eating an egg-based breakfast can keep a person from consuming extra calories throughout the day. To promote weight loss, avoid preparing eggs by adding too much fat, butter or oils, for example.
If a person is at risk of cardiovascular disease, they should eat only egg whites and carefully monitor their cholesterol intake.
* HealthKey strives to convey health knowledge in a language accessible to all. In NO EVENT can the information provided replace the opinion of a health professional.
Well Being3 months ago
