Tuesday 16 June 2009

Eat Eggs To Help Lose Weight

After writing about the connection between dairy and weight loss, I started thinking about the connection between eggs and weight loss. Eggs are another food that is “free” (meaning we can eat as much as we want of it) on the Slimming World plan.

So are eggs really good for weight loss or is Slimming World wrong and its members’ weight losses just unrelated flukes?

According to the studies, eggs are an excellent source to aid in fat loss. And this is great news mainly because I enjoy eating eggs, but also because eggs don’t cost much to buy. They are also, apparently, good for eye health.

According to this article in Medical News Today, eggs are helpful to weight loss because they contain an essential amino acid called leucine. The article references a study which found that leucine

“potentially provides a weight loss advantage during dieting by helping reduce loss of lean tissue, promote loss of body fat, and stabilize blood glucose levels.”


This article on the website Bio-Medicine references a study that promotes eggs eaten for breakfast as aiding in weight loss. It even mentions that the egg-eaters had higher reductions in their waist circumferences. (Loss of belly fat is always a good thing for those of us who need to lose weight!) There also seems to be connection between eating eggs and feeling full, as this article states,

“This study further substantiates the findings of a previous study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition,2 which found that an egg breakfast induced greater satiety and significantly reduced short-term food intake compared to a calorically equivalent bagel breakfast.”


This article on the website Weightlossresources.co.uk found a connection between eating eggs and satiety too,

“According to new research from the Rochester Centre for Obesity in America, eating eggs for breakfast could help to limit your calorie intake throughout the rest of the day, by more than 400 calories.”


A reduction in daily calorie consumption by 400 calories a day could result in a weight loss of a pound every 8 or 9 days. (Results, of course, vary for individuals.) If eggs make you feel fuller for longer, then it corresponds that you would find it easier to reduce your calories throughout the day after eating them for breakfast.

This article on Food Product Design states that not only do eggs aid in weight loss but they also help to increase energy levels. It states that this is because eggs are a good source of high quality protein. Too little high quality protein is bad for the body as this article states,

“In May 2008, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a special issue on the value of protein in the diet. A major finding was that getting too little high-quality protein may contribute to obesity, muscle loss and increased risk of chronic disease.”


This article by Feedstuffs Foodlink continues making the connection between egg consumption and weight loss and energy levels. It references a study done at the Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center with lead researcher Dr. Nikhil V. Dhurandhar,

“The women who consumed eggs as part of a diet plan lost "significantly" more weight and reported "significantly" higher energy levels, Dhurandhar said.”


The studies show that eggs really do aid in fat loss. This fact, in addition to all of the other health benefits to be gained by eating eggs, makes them an ideal choice of food for anyone trying to lose weight (barring any egg allergies).

Slimming World suggest having your eggs, boiled, scrambled, deviled, made into an omelette, poached or dry fried. (Dry frying eggs means spraying the pan lightly with a low calorie oil spray and frying the eggs in no more than that.) I enjoy my eggs in all of these forms, but my favorite way to eat eggs is to make an omelette stuffed with bell peppers, spring onions and sprinkled with a little low fat grated cheese.

What's your favorite way to eat eggs?

14 comments:

  1. Great post and so very true!

    2 large eggs, fried (I fry mine in bacon grease to add fat) is under 200 calories, 14g of fat, over 12 g protein. And with LESS THAN 1g of carbs they keep you full, and trigger NO insulin response! (which would tell your body to store fat)

    Eggs are a perfect food! :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Im boring but love it.

    LOTTSA scrambled egg whites with a few yolks tossed in.

    Veggies.

    Cheese.

    MOUTH :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good work done. Its true that eggs are not only nutritious despite that they are helpful and effective in weight loss.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi! I just have to say I went back and read from the beginning of your blog!! I now feel guilty for sitting here reading that much. I will have you know I have bounced my knees the whole time! ;O)

    I have not exercised today. I am going to go do that NOW!

    You are amazing! I am going to think of you everytime I try to come up with an excuse as why I cannot exercise!!!

    I am where you were a year ago. I have over 100 pounds to lose! You are such an inspiration!!!!!

    Interesting info. on eggs. I really don't like eggs, but eat them on occasion.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I like eggs in a frittata or as an omelet with feta cheese. I also like egg and cheese on an english muffin!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hmm....I like em lots of ways, scrambled, omelet-ed, and hard boiled are my three faves right now ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  7. I try to have a hardboiled egg every day if they happen to be already in the fridge. Gotta make some up again! I do find they keep me from being as hungry for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like to make a light burrito with a small tortilla, scrambled egg, bell pepper, mushrooms and salsa - yum, think I will have one for breakfast tomorrow!

    As the daughter of an layer (chicken) farmer and having worked 10 years from the ages of 13-23 in an egg grading station, I think you for your promotion of eggs :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love poached eggs, scrambled, or even fried... anything with eggs always delicious, Thank God it helps us losing weight too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ive always been big into eggs. And luckily, I can get my 5 kids to eat them as snacks!
    I love me a good omelette, scramble them with a bit of butter, and of course hard boiled.
    Ive been nervous to eat too many yolks, but mayby I should forget about that and just enjoy them.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow. I like eggs and i was not knowing it helps to loose weight. Thanks a lot for the information.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I like to eat eggs, they are more helpful and effective in weight loss.

    ReplyDelete

Sorry about the word verification. I turned it off and started getting tons of SPAM, so I had to turn it back on again.