Recognized as a reference protein by the WHO, the egg has an ideal amino acid composition. But is that 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 ultimately a simplified version. The protein source is unique in its extreme form.
Be aware that different versions exist: the duration of the egg diet and the allowed foods can vary. Which version should you choose? Is it effective for weight loss? What are the risks? I share with you my opinion as a dietitian.
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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 dietary routine.
Generally, its duration is 1 to 3 days at most for obvious reasons: it’s hard to sustain this pace over the long term.
This unbalanced high-protein diet is low in energy, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. It can be physically and emotionally dangerous.
Employed as starter diet by some or used during a plateau in weight loss, its effect can only be temporary or even nonexistent.
Eating only hard-boiled eggs for 24 to 72 hours, at a minimum of 6 per day, proves to be a real challenge to avoid digestive disorders and weight regain.
My opinion as a dietitian is that it can cause yo-yoing, frustration, and intestinal transit problems, and in no way promote a sustainable dietary rebalancing.
The 3- to 7-day egg diet
More often considered the traditional version of the egg diet, it of course includes eggs in all their forms but also other foods.
The foods allowed during this egg diet are:
- vegetables
- lean proteins such as white fish or chicken
- one to two servings of fruit
- calorie-free beverages such as water or herbal teas
It therefore seems more generous in terms of food alternatives and less monotonous. However, I still would not call it a balanced diet.
Admittedly it is less extreme due to the presence of vegetables and fruits, more specifically grapefruit. You may even hear it referred to as the egg and grapefruit diet.
However, it forbids starchy foods, cereals, and legumes. It therefore remains a restrictive method based on the exclusion of entire food groups.
Similarly regarding added fats, they are absent despite their indispensable roles for the body and the gustatory pleasure they bring.
It therefore 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 is an example of egg diet menus:
For breakfast
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- ½ grapefruit
For lunch
- steamed green beans
- chicken cutlet
Snack (optional)
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- ½ grapefruit
For dinner
- 1 omelet with 2 eggs, onions, spinach and tomatoes
My take on the egg diet
The egg, a high-quality food
Very filling, the egg is a healthy food and there are many good reasons to eat it. This study even shows that consuming it at breakfast provides greater satiety.
Although very small in size, an egg contains 6 to 7 g of protein, mainly concentrated in the egg white. It is the most protein-dense food.
Rich in albumin, a protein known for slow absorption, the egg is particularly effective at supporting your muscle mass and keeping you full.
As for the egg yolk, it provides quality fats: choline, omega-3s and cholesterol. The average is about 5 g per egg.
This could be the only advantage of this diet: increasing daily egg consumption, which also contains a mix of essential vitamins and minerals. But eating only that, or pairing egg consumption with dietary restrictions… In my view, that makes no nutritional sense.
Choosing the right eggs for your diet
To choose your eggs well: prefer Category A eggs with code 0 or 1. That means the eggs are fresh or extra-fresh and come from hens raised outdoors (0 being reserved for organic).
Organic and free-range ensure a varied, natural diet for the hens, and therefore higher-quality eggs. You can find them with the AB or Label Rouge labels.
The limits of the egg diet
No nutritional education incorporates this diet, regardless of the version chosen. Therefore, it can hardly be presented as a solution for better nutrition.
In the case of short-term slimming results, I remain convinced that the trap is to adopt it repeatedly or for prolonged periods until the body no longer reacts quite the same way.
Another point: like any restrictive diet, it cannot be suitable for everyone. For example, neither vegans nor people allergic to albumin, nor those on medication.
The egg diet is not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, older adults, and in cases of eating disorders. It should also not be followed in cases of kidney disease.
As for the nutritional limitations, I mentioned them above and they are numerous: forbidden foods, risk of deficiencies, intestinal disturbances…
Egg diet and cholesterol
Eating eggs often raises questions about their potential dangers to our health.
According to several clinical studies, dietary cholesterol appears to have little influence on endogenous cholesterol, which is produced by our liver.
One of them compared the lipid profiles of 140 patients with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes who consumed 12 eggs per week for 3 months.
No impact on cholesterol levels and triglycerides, as well as on insulin or fasting blood glucose, was observed in these patients.
However, the actual consequences of the egg diet on cardiovascular health remain difficult to establish, since no studies have been conducted in the context of a strict diet.
My advice: enjoy eggs for pleasure and pair them daily with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, vegetable oils… Your overall eating habits matter more than any single 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.
