Eggs May Help You Lose Weight

For years, eggs have gotten a bad rap due to their comparatively high levels of cholesterol, and the egg breakfast has to some degree become a thing of the past. Studies of satiety (how satisfying a food is) indicate that eggs may be more satisfying than, say, a similar number of calories in bagel form. One study appeared to indicate that having eggs for breakfast might actually mean fewer calories eaten at lunch.

In a study recently published in the International Journal of Obesity (2008; 21, 1545-1551), researchers tried to take advantage of eggs' higher satiating effect by harnessing that effect for weight loss. If eggs are more satisfying on a long-term basis than a bagel with the same number of calories, the researchers reasoned, then eating eggs for breakfast might actually mean eating less over the course of a day without feeling deprived. Theoretically, then, eating eggs for breakfast might help you lose weight without really trying.

Armed with that theory, the researchers recruited just over 150 overweight but otherwise healthy men and women to participate in their 8-week feeding study. The participants were randomly assigned to one of two types of breakfast: either two eggs for breakfast (scrambled) 5 days per week or the same number of calories in a bagel breakfast 5 days per week. Half of the the egg eaters and half of the bagel eaters also reduced their total daily intake by about 200 calories per day, to produce a total deficit of 1,000 calories per week.

Contrary to their theory, the people who were eating eggs for breakfast without reducing the number of calories they consumed did not lose weight. However, of those participants who had reduced their caloric intake, those who had eggs for breakfast tended to lose 65 percent more weight than those who had bagels for breakfast. They also reduced their Body Mass Index by an additional 61 percent over the bagel breakfasters, while also seeing a 34 percent greater reduction in their waist circumference.

"What about their cholesterol levels?", you may ask. Interestingly, at the end of the 8 weeks of study, there was no significant difference between the bagel breakfasters and the egg breakfasters, whether or not they were reducing their total caloric intake.

As I've said on numerous occasions, eggs are not bad for you. This study indicates that, when you're trying to lose weight by reducing your daily calories, eggs may actually help you lose weight. However, the exact reason is still something of a mystery. But if you like having eggs for breakfast, quit worrying and enjoy them!

Timothy S. Harlan, M.D., a.k.a. Dr. Gourmet

LiveStrong Advisory Board Member

Drgourmet.com