Recognized as the reference protein by the WHO, the egg has an ideal amino acid composition. But is this a sufficient reason to adopt the egg diet?
In order to lose weight quickly while protecting muscle mass, high-protein diets experienced a real resurgence after the 1970s.
Dukan and other similar methods share these nutritional principles: they are low-calorie, high in protein, and low in sugars.
The egg diet is, in the end, a simplified version. The source of protein is unique in its extreme version.
Be aware that different versions exist: duration of the egg diet and allowed foods can vary. Which version to choose? Is it effective for weight loss? What are the risks? I share with you my dietitian’s opinion.
📚 Also read | 10 weight loss programs scrutinized by a dietitian
Following the egg diet in practice
The exclusive egg diet
This restrictive version of the egg diet includes only hard-boiled eggs and water as the food routine.
Generally, its duration is 1 to 3 days maximum for obvious reasons: it’s difficult to maintain this pace long-term.
This imbalanced high-protein diet is low in energy, carbohydrates, fats, and fibers. It can be physically and mentally dangerous.
Used as a starter diet by some or during a plateau in weight loss, its effect can only be temporary or even nonexistent.
Consuming only hard-boiled eggs for 24 to 72 hours, at a rate of at least 6 per day, proves to be a real challenge to avoid digestive disorders and weight regain.
My dietitian’s opinion is that it can cause yo-yo effects, frustrations, and intestinal transit disorders, in no way favoring a sustainable dietary balance.
The 3 to 7-day egg diet
Often considered the traditional version of the egg diet, it of course includes eggs in all forms but also other foods.
The foods allowed during this egg diet are:
- vegetables
- lean proteins like white fish or chicken
- one to two servings of fruit
- calorie-free drinks like water or herbal teas
It thus seems more generous in terms of food alternatives and less monotonous. Nevertheless, I still wouldn’t call it a balanced diet.
Sure, it’s less extreme due to the presence of vegetables and fruits, particularly grapefruit. In fact, you might hear it referred to as the egg and grapefruit diet.
However, it forbids starchy foods, cereals, and legumes. It remains a restrictive method based on the exclusion of food groups.
Similarly, concerning added fats, they are absent despite their essential roles for the body and the taste pleasure they provide.
It thus remains low-calorie and incomplete. Practiced for up to 7 days, it can expose one to nutritional deficiencies.
A typical day on the classic egg diet
Here’s an example of egg diet menus:
For breakfast
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ grapefruit
For lunch
- steamed green beans
- chicken breast
Snack (optional)
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- ½ grapefruit
For dinner
- 1 omelet with 2 eggs, onions, spinach, and tomatoes
My opinion on the egg diet
The egg, a quality food
Super satiating, the egg is a health food and the reasons to eat it are numerous. This study even reveals that eating them for breakfast offers better satiety.
Although small in size, an egg contains 6 to 7 g of protein, mainly concentrated in the egg white. It is the densest protein food.
Rich in albumin, a protein known for slow assimilation, the egg is particularly interesting for nourishing your muscle mass and satiating.
As for the egg yolk, it provides quality lipids: choline, omega-3, and cholesterol. The average is about 5 g per egg.
This could be the only advantage of this diet: increasing the consumption of eggs daily, which also contain a cocktail of essential vitamins and minerals. To eat only that or to accompany its consumption with restrictions… It is a dietary nonsense in my view.
Choosing the right eggs for your diet
To choose your eggs well: prefer category A eggs with code 0 or 1. This means that the eggs are fresh or extra-fresh and come from free-range hens (0 being reserved for organic).
Organic and free-range guarantee a varied and natural diet for the hens, hence better quality eggs. You can find them with the AB or Label Rouge labels.
The limits of the egg diet
No nutritional education includes this diet, regardless of the version chosen. Therefore, it can hardly be presented as a solution for better eating.
In case of short-term weight loss results, I remain convinced that the trap is adopting it repeatedly or for an extended period until the body no longer reacts in quite the same way.
Another point, like any diet with restrictions, it cannot suit everyone. Already not for vegans, nor for people allergic to albumin, nor in case of medication treatments.
The egg diet is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, the elderly, and in the case of eating disorders. It also cannot be followed in cases of kidney pathologies.
As for the nutritional limits, I mentioned them earlier, and they are numerous: prohibited foods, risk of deficiencies, intestinal disruptions…
Egg diet and cholesterol
Eating eggs often raises questions about its potential dangers for our health.
According to several clinical studies, dietary cholesterol would ultimately have little influence on endogenous cholesterol, which is produced by our liver.
One of them compared the lipid profile of 140 patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes consuming 12 eggs per week for 3 months.
No effect on the cholesterol and triglycerides levels as well as insulin or fasting blood sugar of these patients was observed.
The real consequences of the egg diet on cardiovascular health remain difficult to establish since none is carried out in the context of a strict diet.
My advice: eat eggs for pleasure and accompany them daily with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, vegetable oils… Your general dietary habits matter more than a specific food or nutrient.
Sources and scientific studies
- Jillon S Vander Wal, Jorene M Marth, Pramod Khosla, K-L Catherine Jen, Nikhil V Dhurandhar, 2011. Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects.
- Nicholas R Fuller, Ian D Caterson, Amanda Sainsbury, Gareth Denyer, Mackenzie Fong, James Gerofi, Katherine Baqleh, Kathryn H Williams, Namson S Lau, Tania P Markovic, 2015. The effect of a high-egg diet on cardiovascular risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes: the Diabetes and Egg (DIABEGG) study – a 3-mo randomized controlled trial.
