Can a breakfast staple be enough to fuel a full-on diet? In this article, we look at the pros and cons of the boiled egg diet and what to expect by doing the boiled egg diet before you rush to the grocery store to start.
Boiled egg diet myths:
- The boiled egg diet consists of only eating eggs. Nop! The boiled egg diet actually promotes high consumption of lean proteins such as eggs, chicken, turkey or lean fish. According to the guidelines, you are to start the day with boiled eggs and then consume eggs or other lean proteins for lunch and dinner. As a side to your meals, include “low carb” fruits and vegetables.
- Concerned about cholesterol from an egg diet? Don’t! Only if you struggle with high cholesterol, can this short-term diet make a difference? In addition, more recent research has shown that our blood cholesterol is not affected by the cholesterol in our food choices, or in this case good fats in eggs. It is the saturated fats and trans fat we consume that affect blood cholesterol.
- Eggs are great for protein but the fats are stored. Nop! Compared to other proteins, eggs have the highest biological value. The biological value of proteins is a measurement of a food’s digestibility and availability of its protein. When a food has a similar amino acid profile to our own bodies, it has a higher biological value. Such proteins are also called “complete proteins” or “high quality protein.” Most animal and soy products are known as complete proteins. And the egg has the highest biological value of them all! Basically, almost all of the protein you consume from an egg is getting digested into your body.
Here’s how a boiled egg diet works:
First and foremost, this is a two week diet. The idea of the boiled egg diet is that it is meant to be short term. Over the two weeks on this diet, the dieter may lose lots of weight rapidly. Plus, the rules of this diet also adds to the quick effectiveness of this diet.
You Can Eat This
Eat a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, high-protein plan designed to help you lose weight without losing muscle mass. Dieters must consumption of lean proteins Eggs, Chicken, Turkey and Lean fish. Per the guidelines, you have to start the day with boiled eggs and then consume eggs or other lean proteins for lunch and dinner. As a side to your meals, include “low carb” fruits and vegetables such as:
- Broccoli
- Green leafies
- Mushrooms
- Citrus
- Apples
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
Don’t Eat This
As you may have guessed, the boiled egg diet is highly restrictive. It aims to cut calories and eliminates many different foods. Here is a list of foods that are to be excluded from the diet:
- Junk food
- Sugary drinks (i.e. soda, juice, sports drinks)
- Fried foods
- Fatty meats (i.e. red meat, pork, fatty fish)
- Salt
- Alcohol
- Foods with “processed sugars like sauces
- Refined carbohydrates, like bread and pasta
- Fried foods
- Milk, juice, and other caloric beverages
- Sweets
Rules
- You can only consume three meals per day.
- Snacks are not allowed.
- You must only consume calorie-free beverages (such as water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea).
- Meals will consist of a lean protein + vegetables and/or fruit.
- Follow this for two weeks for weight loss. Once the diet is complete you can go back to a normal diet.
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse and provide your body with protein, fat, vitamin D, phosphorus, vitamin A, and two B-complex vitamins that your body needs to convert food into energy. Eggs are also a very good source of riboflavin, selenium, and choline.
- Another pro to the boiled egg diet is that it promotes consumption of vegetables and fruit at every meal and they provide fiber, water, vitamins and minerals. All of those are components of a healthy diet.
Cons:
- Just like other diets that shoot for rapid weight loss over a short period of time, the egg diet is not sustainable and pounds lost are likely to be regained.
- Since you don’t learn any healthy eating habits on this program like snacks, portion control, balanced meals with dairy and bread or mindful eating, you are likely to return to the food habits that cause weight gain in the first place.
- Many dieters end up bingeing on junk food or just quitting the diet completely.
- A healthy eating pattern allows for occasional consumption of your favorite treats.
- To consume three meals per day you run the risk of being left hungry.
- Lack of carbs equals fatigue and a lack of energy, similar to other low-carb plans.
- Boiled egg dieters experience gas, constipation, nausea, and bad breath. These are all common side-effects of a high-protein diet.
Real studies to check out before dieting
In one study, those who ate a low-calorie diet and eggs for breakfast lost more weight than those who also followed a low-calorie diet, but ate bagels for breakfast.
Eggs are a high cholesterol food, which has been linked to increased blood cholesterol levels and heart disease. However, the current research calls this into question.
According to a 2017 review article published in the journal Nutrition, the link between eggs and heart disease may be unfounded. Another 2017 review in the Canadian Journal of Diabetes reports consumption of six to 12 eggs per week did not impact total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose, insulin, or C-reactive protein levels—all markers of heart disease. Have a heart disease? Then please consult with your doctor before starting the boiled egg diet.
Certain egg brands have higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. This is achieved when the hens are fed flaxseed, which is rich in omega-3s, and the nutrition is transferred to the yolk. Organic, vegetarian and nutrient-enhanced eggs will typically include higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and may also feature lesser amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol than conventional eggs.
Final Verdict for the boiled egg diet: Can You, Should You, Would You?
Even if the egg diet may promote quick weight-loss solutions for certain people, it is not a healthy, long-term eating plan. And it may not work for you.
Coming back to our question of CAN you? Know that with high protein diets you will experience gas, constipation, nausea, and bad breath, which are all common side-effects of a high-protein diet. Therefore in order to combat these digestive issues you SHOULD NOT skip fiber from vegetables in your diet and drinking more water. So, this diet is very strict, you can’t afford to cut corners.
Once again this points to a very micro managed way of eating for 2 whole weeks. So ask yourself, WOULD you sustain this diet, even for a week?