Men, some women and almost everyone over the age of 50 tend to store fat on their bellies. If you have more fat stored on your stomach than you would prefer -- either for aesthetic reasons or for health reasons -- you might be looking for a way to target it. Eggs, unfortunately, can't help you there.
Belly Fat
In general, women tend to store most of their body fat on the hips and thighs, while men tend to store more on their bellies. This trend isn't strict, however -- some women, as they gain weight, take on more of the "apple" shape traditionally associated with men than the "pear" shape typically seen on women. Whether you're male or female, however, stored belly fat isn't just an aesthetic issue, it also increases your risk of heart disease, according to MayoClinic.com.
Eggs
Eggs have gone back and forth in recent years in terms of being considered an unhealthy food one decade and a healthier food the next. They're high in some vitamins and minerals but are also high in fat and cholesterol. Depending on the source of the eggs, the nutritional value seems to vary. For instance, depending on the diet the egg-laying chickens eat, eggs can have varying levels of essential omega-3 fatty acids. As a result of all this variability, many nutritionists are uncertain as to whether eggs are overall healthy or unhealthy.
Targeting Belly Fat
Regardless of whether the egg does or does not have a place in your diet, one thing is for certain -- it can't help you target belly fat. This is because no food, supplement, exercise or medication can cause you to lose fat off one area of the body in particular. Fat-burning is the result of taking in fewer calories than you expend, and takes place across all stored fat areas, called adipose tissue deposits.
Recommendations
While eggs won't help you target belly fat, they contain enough nutrients, healthy fats and protein to be part of an otherwise nutritious diet, according to Harvard Medical School, which recommends eating no more than one egg a day. Eating a healthy diet that contains plenty of protein, plant-based fat, whole-grain carbohydrates and fresh fruit and vegetables can help you lose body fat from all areas, including your belly. As part of such a diet, therefore, eggs, can certainly play a part in meeting your overall body-reshaping goals.
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