Eggs Might Be the Ultimate Weight Management Food

Eggs are low in calories

Even though there are many factors that can contribute to weight gain, the most evidence-based way to promote weight loss is to reduce your daily calorie intake or increase the number of calories that you burn.

One large egg contains only about 74 calories, yet it’s very high in nutrients. Egg yolks are especially nutritious (1).

An egg meal commonly consists of about 2–4 eggs. Three large boiled eggs contain less than 230 calories.

By adding a generous serving of vegetables, along with a source of fiber and fat like sliced avocado, you’re able to have a complete meal for 500 calories.

Just keep in mind that if you fry your eggs in oil or butter, you add about 50 calories for each teaspoon (5 grams) used.

Summary

One large egg contains about 74 calories. A meal consisting of 3 boiled eggs, vegetables and sliced avocado can contain under 500 calories.

Eggs are very filling

Eggs are incredibly nutrient-dense and filling, mainly because of their high protein content (2).

High-protein foods have been known to reduce appetite and increase fullness compared with foods that contain less protein (3, 4, 5, 6).

Studies have repeatedly shown that egg meals, especially when paired with a source of fiber, promote feelings of fullness and reduce food intake during later meals compared with other meals with the same calorie content (7, 8).

Eggs also rank high on a scale called the satiety index. This scale evaluates how well foods help you feel full and reduce calorie intake later in the day (9).

Additionally, consuming a diet high in protein may reduce the desire to eat by 15%. It may also help prevent unhealthy late-night snacking (4, 10).

Summary

Eggs rank high on the satiety index, which means they may help you feel fuller for longer. High-protein foods, like eggs, may also help you snack less between meals.

Eggs may boost your metabolism

Eggs contain a good balance of all of the essential amino acids that your body needs.

This means your body can easily use the protein in eggs for maintenance and metabolism.

Eating a high-protein diet has been shown to boost metabolism by up to 80–100 calories a day through a process called the thermic effect of food (11, 12).

The thermic effect of food is the energy the body requires to metabolize foods, and it’s higher for protein than for fat or carbs (12, 13, 14).

This means that high-protein foods, such as eggs, can help you burn more calories to support weight loss.

Summary

A high-protein diet may boost your metabolism by up to 80–100 calories per day, since extra energy is needed to help metabolize the protein in foods.

Eggs are a great way to start your day

Eating eggs for breakfast seems to be especially beneficial for weight loss.

Many studies have compared the effects of eating eggs in the morning versus eating other breakfasts with the same calorie content.

Some older studies show that eating eggs instead of bagels for breakfast can increase feelings of fullness and reduce the amount of calories consumed at later meals (15, 16).

Regular consumption of an egg-based breakfast has also been associated with increased weight loss over time (17).

According to one study involving 156 adolescents with obesity, eating an egg breakfast increased satiety and reduced lunchtime food intake compared with a breakfast with steamed bread (18).

Furthermore, the egg breakfast also increased levels of peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), two hormones that regulate appetite and promote feelings of fullness (18).

Another 2013 study involving 30 healthy young men compared the effects of three types of breakfasts on three separate occasions. These were eggs on toast, cereal with milk and toast, and a croissant with orange juice (19).

Compared with the other two breakfast combinations, the egg breakfast caused significantly greater satiety, less hunger, and a lower desire to eat (19).

Furthermore, eating eggs for breakfast caused the men to automatically eat about 270–470 calories less at lunch and dinner buffets, compared with the other two breakfasts (19).

This impressive reduction in calorie intake was unintentional and did not require any other changes to their diet besides eating eggs for breakfast.

Summary

Eating eggs for breakfast may increase your feeling of fullness and make you automatically eat fewer calories later in the day.

Eggs are cheap and easy to prepare

Incorporating eggs into your diet is very easy.

They are inexpensive, widely available, and can be prepared within minutes.

Eggs are delicious almost every way you make them, but they are most often boiled, scrambled, made into an omelet, or baked.

A breakfast omelet made with a couple of eggs and some vegetables makes for an excellent and quick weight-loss-friendly breakfast.

You can find plenty of low carb breakfast ideas, many of which feature eggs, on this page.

Summary

Eggs are inexpensive, widely available, and easy to prepare.

The bottom line

Adding eggs to your diet may be one of the easiest things to do if you’re trying to lose weight.

They can make you feel more full and help you eat fewer calories throughout the day.

Furthermore, eggs are a great source of many vitamins and minerals that are commonly lacking in the diet.

Eating eggs, especially for breakfast, can be a great addition to a healthy weight loss eating plan.