It is believed that with an egg diet, you can lose 4-8 lbs in the first 3-5 days. However, in order to keep the lost weight off, you will have to follow a low-carb diet. What is the egg diet and what foods are allowed and which ones are prohibited?
Chicken eggs are an important component of proper nutrition, a source of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. However, they contain cholesterol, a potentially dangerous substance for the cardiovascular system. Excess blood cholesterol is associated with health risks.
How many eggs can you eat per day without harm to health – scientific research and recommendations of nutritionists? Is it really healthier to eat only whites rather than yolks? What will happen to the body if you eat a lot of eggs – risks and possible side effects.
Is it okay to eat eggs every day?
Eggs are one of the cheapest protein sources for athletes. Some athletes are able to eat up to 8 or more chicken eggs per day – getting 120 grams of protein and up to 4-5 grams of cholesterol. Note that the RDA for this substance is only 300 mg.
In fact, the danger of daily consumption of eggs lies precisely in the high content of cholesterol – up to 400-500 mg per piece. Despite this, scientists believe that the relationship between the content of cholesterol in food and its level in the blood is ambiguous.
According to studies, in healthy people, the consumption of chicken eggs, even in sufficiently large quantities (about 3-4 per day or about 20 per week), does not affect either the total level of cholesterol in the blood in general or the level of “bad” cholesterol in particular.
First of all, the egg diet is based on the consumption of eggs – however, the diet may contain oils, fats and small amounts of citrus fruits and vegetables. However, it is important to remember that this diet has a number of contraindications and is not recommended for more than a week.
Egg diet - what is it?
The egg diet is a diet that only consumes eggs, fats, and low-glycemic vegetables and fruits (in small amounts). In fact, the diet is a low carbohydrate, since it allows you to eat no more than 40-50 g of carbohydrates per day.
In addition, the egg diet is one way to enter ketosis while following a carbohydrate-free keto diet. Recall that the keto diet implies a complete rejection of carbohydrates and the use of only protein and fatty foods – including eggs.
The excess weight on the egg keto diet goes away due to the fact that when carbohydrates are limited in the diet, the body instead of glucose begins to use free fatty acids for metabolism and sustenance. In simple terms, fat stores begin to be wasted and the process of rapid weight loss starts.
Why is the egg diet dangerous?
It is not recommended to follow an egg diet for longer than 5-7 days – this can lead to a lack of vitamins and minerals, as well as fluctuations of hormonal levels. Also, the dramatic reduction in calorie intake, typical of the egg diet, dangerously increases levels of the hormones cortisol and leptin.
Additionally, an egg diet can harm the liver in the presence of concurrent diseases – including cirrhosis, high blood cholesterol levels, and so on. Among other things, this diet is not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women as well as athletes gaining muscle mass.
4 Day Egg Diet Meal Plan
Below is a detailed example of a menu for a four-day egg diet. It is permissible to eat eggs, cheese, nuts, vegetable oils (including coconut oil), a small amount of fruits with a low glycemic index (especially grapefruit). Cottage cheese is allowed only on the first day:
DAY 1
Breakfast:
- 2-3 eggs scrambled with cheese and butter
- half an orange or freshly squeezed orange juice
Launch:
- salad of eggs, lettuce and olive oil
Dinner:
- 2-3 eggs omelet with mozzarella cheese and 50 g cherry tomatoes
Snacks:First -30 g cheese;Second – 50 g cottage cheese
DAY 2
Breakfast:
- egg pancake with coconut flour and coconut oil
- keto coffee with butter
Launch:
- eggs fried with sun-dried tomatoes
Dinner:
- omelet with broccoli and chia seeds
Snacks: First – half grapefruit; Second – a handful of nuts;
DAY 3
Breakfast:
- scrambled eggs
- keto coffee (coffee with a teaspoon of ghee oil)
Launch:
- quiche with eggs, spinach and milk cream
Dinner:
- 2 fried eggs with ham and cheese
Snacks: First – half grapefruit; Second – cheese roll w/salami;
DAY 4
Breakfast:
- scrambled eggs
Launch:
- omelet with cheese and broccoli
Dinner:
- boiled eggs
Snacks: First – tangerine or half orange; Second – 100 g avocado;
Rules and Guidelines
The classic egg diet for entering ketosis (menu above) involves the almost complete elimination of carbohydrates, as well as limiting calories below 1000 kcal per day. However, there are higher-calorie versions of the egg diet. In this case, the following rules must be observed:
Egg Diet Rules:
- Eat one egg within 30 minutes of waking up
- Eat at least one egg at each meal
- The total number of eggs per day is not less than 6
- For each egg eaten – an additional 12 g of fat (you can use cheese, lard, butter, vegetable fats)
- Last meal – 3 hours before bedtime
- Preference – farm or village eggs
What kind of fruits can you eat?
The egg diet allows the use of a small number of vegetables and fruits with a low glycemic index – in total, no more than 40-50 g per day. In fact, this amount of carbohydrates is safe for ketosis and does not stop the fat burning processes of weight loss.
The fruit with the lowest glycemic index is avocado – due to its high fiber and vegetable fat content, its GI is 10 units. Lemon is next – 20 units, and also currants, cherries and blueberries – 25 units. Then there are citrus fruits.
Can you eat raw eggs on an empty stomach?
The most popular nutritional myths about eggs are that they are healthier to drink raw, or that they should be eaten on an empty stomach. In fact, there is no evidence that they are more beneficial when raw – however, health risks can occur due to insufficient heat treatment.
In addition, eggs can cause individual food allergies – especially when consumed in large quantities on an empty stomach.
Do eggs have an expiration date?
The standard manufacturer’s recommendation is to consume eggs within 7 days. Because of room temperature storage, eggs will stay fresh for several weeks when refrigerated. After this period, the eggs can turn rotten.
How many eggs should athletes eat?
Gaining muscle mass through strength training implies increased protein intake – but only against the background of an overall increase in caloric intake. In other words, the total amount of nutrients in the diet is more important than just a protein diet on eggs and meat.
In addition, when consuming a large number of eggs (more than 3-4 per day), it is recommended to limit the use of yolks – for example, to cook an omelet from several whites and just one yolk. This will significantly limit the intake of cholesterol, since there is almost no cholesterol in the whites.
In turn, excess cholesterol is especially harmful when using anabolic drugs. But, as in other cases, there is no unequivocal evidence that eating a lot of eggs is directly harmful to health.
Pros and cons
The benefits of the egg diet include proven weight loss and low hunger – just like with the keto diet itself. However, the disadvantages include the possible harm to health – the diet is contraindicated in the presence of chronic diseases since it increases the load on the liver.
Ultimately, when choosing between pros and cons, evaluate your ability to switch to a low-carb diet at the end of the egg diet – this will only help you lose weight without regaining weight. If you return to your regular calorie and carbohydrate intake, the pounds lost will quickly return.
The Egg Diet is a diet based on eggs, fat, and small amounts of low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. This diet is suitable for both entering ketosis (and the transition to a full-fledged keto diet), and for quick weight loss.
Nutritionist recommendation on how many eggs you can eat per day or per week is no more than 3-4 whole eggs per day or 20 per week. Possible harm lies in the high content of cholesterol in the yolk – an excessive amount of this substance can increase the level of cholesterol in the blood.
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