Chicken eggs are one of the healthiest natural products (contrary to popular belief).
They are a source of quality protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, and therefore are very popular in bodybuilding as a natural source of complete protein for muscle mass gain.
In this article, we will discuss whether eggs can be eaten while losing weight; we will explore what makes them incredibly beneficial for this purpose, as well as when it is best to consume them (for breakfast or dinner) and in what form (boiled, fried, or raw) for maximum effectiveness.
Main thoughts:
Beneficial properties of eggs for weight loss
1 Eggs are low in calories
The most effective and correct way to lose weight is caloric restriction of the food consumed throughout the day.
One large egg contains only 78 cal, but is very rich in beneficial nutrients. Especially the yolk 1.
A meal consisting of 3 eggs with a vegetable salad is an example of a wonderful, nutritionally complete dish with a caloric value of about 300 cal (add ~50 calories if fried).
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2 Eggs are very satiating
The greater the satiety from food, the less you want to eat, and consequently, the fewer calories are consumed in the end.
This property of eggs being beneficial for weight loss is primarily explained by the fact that they contain a significant amount of protein, which, as is known, provides a much greater feeling of satiety, eliminating hunger for a longer period compared to carbohydrates 2-4.
This property is called the satiety index – an indicator of how well food fills you up and reduces the desire to eat more. For eggs, it is very high8.
Numerous scientific studies confirm that after consuming eggs, the urge to snack is significantly lower compared to other types of food with the same caloric content 5-7.
Interestingly, after protein-rich foods, thoughts about food occur significantly less often, approximately 60% less 9. No thoughts mean no desire to explore the contents of the refrigerator at night.
Eggs are rich in protein and therefore have a high satiety index: after consuming them, you feel less hungry and think about food less
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3 Eggs stimulate internal metabolism
Egg white is complete (like whey, casein, or soy) – it contains all essential amino acids in the right amounts.
This means that eggs as a food product can provide the building materials for internal processes in the body, which are called metabolism.
Protein-rich foods have another effect that is beneficial for weight loss: they stimulate internal metabolism. This is known as the thermogenic effect 10, 11.
The thermogenic effect is the energy required by the body to digest what it has eaten. Its significance for protein is significantly higher than for fats and carbohydrates (approximately 30% of the calories from protein go towards its digestion; for fats and carbohydrates, it’s about 10%) 10,11.
For all those losing weight, this means that protein-rich foods, such as eggs, burn more calories. Not by much, but… nevertheless.
Protein-rich foods (including eggs) require more energy for digestion and are therefore beneficial for weight loss
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How and when is it best to eat eggs for weight loss?
It seems that the best time to consume eggs for weight loss is breakfast.
There are many experiments proving this.
In one of them, it was shown that when overweight women ate eggs for breakfast instead of croissants (which are baked goods) of the same calorie content, they consumed significantly fewer calories over the next 36 hours 5. A similar result was obtained for men as well 12.
– How much can one lose weight “on eggs”?
About 65% more, compared to the case when breakfast does not include protein.
This figure was obtained by researchers in an experiment where part of the female subjects were fed eggs for breakfast for 8 weeks, while the other group had croissants 7. But there is one important caveat.
An important addition is that in the experiment, part of the women were on a calorie-restricted diet (~1000 calories), while the other group ate in their usual manner. So, only those who ate eggs and restricted calories lost weight!
We discussed the paramount importance of calorie restriction, rather than exercise, in this large-scale scientific study on weight loss.
Scientific experiment: “Eggs for breakfast are beneficial for weight loss, but only in combination with overall calorie restriction throughout the day”
At the hormonal level, consuming eggs stabilizes blood glucose levels, as well as the insulin that regulates it. Additionally, it suppresses the action of the hunger hormone ghrelin 12.
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And a few more experiments.
Scientists compared the effectiveness of three types of breakfasts (1 – eggs on toast, 2 – cereal and toast, 3 – croissant with orange juice) for weight loss among 30 young people.
The result: the breakfast with eggs, according to the participants, provided greater satiety, better satisfied hunger, and ultimately led to a lower amount of food consumed afterward (about 300-500 calories less!) 13.
Moreover, as the researchers noted, the significant reduction in calorie intake in subsequent meals did not require any effort from the participants, but was involuntary. All that was needed for this was to have eggs for breakfast.
– Does this mean that eating eggs for dinner or lunch or before bed while losing weight will not have an effect?
Of course not. The issue of appetite control (for those for whom this is a problem) is much more relevant during the day than at night. The thermogenic effect will do its job at any time of the day.
Consuming eggs for breakfast reduces appetite and the total number of calories consumed over 24 hours
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Which eggs are better for weight loss: boiled, fried, or raw?
Chicken eggs are very accessible today and are quite inexpensive. This makes them an almost ideal product for both bodybuilding (for gaining muscle mass) and weight loss (for the reasons described above).
In what form is it better to consume them: raw? boiled or fried?
There is a common myth that raw eggs have certain undeniable advantages for weight loss… It is also said that they are healthier…
This is a MYTH, the denial of which can lead to dire consequences. Let’s figure out why.
Boiled, fried, and raw eggs have almost the same nutritional composition: the amount of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates does not change; only some nutrients are destroyed during heat treatment.
From the perspective of weight loss, what matters to us is only the protein, more precisely – its quantity: in both raw and fried eggs, protein remains protein.
However, there are a few BUTs.
Facts about raw eggs:
- The protein from raw eggs is absorbed much worse (only 50%, compared to 90% for boiled) 14
- When consuming raw eggs for weight loss, there is a very high risk of contracting the unpleasant disease salmonellosis 15 – an acute infectious intestinal disease characterized by general intoxication and damage to the gastrointestinal tract.
- Raw eggs contain a certain substance – avidin (found in the egg white) – which prevents the absorption of some B vitamins (in particular, B7 or biotin), which is found in large quantities in the yolk. Avidin is destroyed during heat treatment.
Raw eggs for weight loss are significantly less effective; moreover, their consumption is associated with the risk of serious infectious disease
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Conclusion
Chicken eggs are one of the best natural products for weight loss. Additionally, they are very beneficial for health, as the egg yolk contains a significant amount of valuable vitamins and minerals, the deficiency of which is very common in our society, due to their poor content in a typical diet.
The benefits of eggs for weight loss are explained by the fact that they are very filling, reducing appetite and the total number of calories consumed throughout the day, and, like any protein food, they have a thermogenic effect.
The best time to consume eggs when losing weight is probably breakfast. But the effect will be there if you eat them at lunch, dinner, or before bed.
The benefits of raw eggs for both weight loss and health are a myth.
