If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s not uncommon to turn to diets that promise a lot of weight loss in very little time. The egg diet is one such diet and — as you can probably guess from its name — it involves eating quite a lot of eggs.
This diet was initially popularized in 2018 by Arielle Chandler, who wrote the book The Boiled Egg Diet: The Easy, Fast Way to Weight Loss! The book promises to help readers lose up to 25 pounds in two weeks, aka 12.5 pounds per week. This rate is notably not considered a healthy rate of weight loss by most nutrition professionals. Chandler does not appear to be a registered dietitian or medical professional in any capacity.
I chatted with registered dietitian Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD for The Food Trends, to get you the professional scoot on the egg diet. Ahead, learn about the egg diet, including what you can and can’t eat, potential benefits and risks, and whether it’s recommended by health professionals.
What Is the Egg Diet?
The ‘egg diet’ is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, and low-calorie diet that emphasizes eggs as the main source of protein. It’s a diet that cycles in popularity, resurfacing as a popular fad diet every so often. On wellness TikTok, the diet is once again circulating, with videos reporting success despite the potential health risks.
The egg diet is different from other high-protein or low-carb diets, as it limits other sources of protein and carbohydrates beyond eggs, Reisdorf says. “It involves eating eggs at every meal, along with small amounts of lean protein, low-carb vegetables, and minimal fruits,” she explains, noting that the goal is quick weight loss.
How Long to Do the Egg Diet
There are several versions of the egg diet plan. Common protocols include:
- The five-day egg fast
- One-week egg diet
- 14-week egg diet
- 28-day egg diet
The egg diet is not recommended for long-term health or weight loss.
— Ana Reisdorf, RD
“It is overly restrictive and puts you at risk for potential nutrient deficiencies,” Reisdorf explains. “It is fine to incorporate some of the principles of the egg diet, like focusing on lean proteins and vegetables, but a balanced diet should not exclude other food groups.”
What You Can Eat on the Egg Diet
“The egg diet is structured around eating at least two to three eggs per day, typically for breakfast, with additional eggs or other lean proteins for lunch and dinner,” Reisdorf says, adding that “the variety of food is quite limited.”
In addition to eggs, you can eat some non-starchy vegetables, but limited fruit, no grains, and no high-sugar foods.
[Read More: How Many Grams of Protein Are in an Egg?]
As with any diet, there are a few different versions depending on who you talk to. These might include:
- The traditional egg diet, which includes eggs, lean proteins, and vegetables.
- The boiled egg diet, which emphasizes eating hard-boiled eggs rather than other egg cooking methods.
- The egg-only diet, which is an extremely restrictive diet and not recommended, according to Reisdorf.
- The egg and grapefruit diet, which includes eating half a grapefruit with each meal along with your eggs.
- The keto egg diet, a version of the keto diet with an emphasis on eating eggs and cooking them in butter, oil, or rendered fat. The goal is to increase ketones in your body to enter a state of ketosis.
Eggs
Eggs are the basis of this meal plan. You can eat whole eggs, egg whites, and egg yolks without restriction. Depending on the exact version of the egg diet you choose to follow, there may be additional restrictions regarding cooking methods.
Grapefruit
One version of the egg diet includes eating half a grapefruit with every serving of eggs. No other fruits are allowed.
Low-Starch Fruit and Vegetables
Some versions of the egg diet are slightly less restrictive and include low-starch produce, such as berries and leafy greens, in the eating plan. Other veggies, like broccoli and asparagus, are sometimes allowed.
[Read More: The Best Fruit and Vegetable Supplements for Taste, Probiotics, and More]
Lean Proteins
The traditional egg diet allows for some lean protein, like chicken or fish, in the eating pattern. The quantity allowed depends on the exact version of the diet you’re following.
Zero-Calorie Beverages
Water and black coffee are the main beverages allowed on the egg diet. Some people following this diet also allow themselves to have zero-calorie drinks sweetened with sugar alternatives. Examples include sugar-free lemonade and diet soda.
What You Cannot Eat on the Egg Diet
This way of eating is quite restrictive — there are many foods you can’t eat while on the egg diet.
Starchy Vegetables
High-carb vegetables, including carrots, squashes, and sweet potatoes, are not allowed on any version of the egg diet.
Most Fruit
While some versions of the egg diet allow for low-carbohydrate fruits, like grapefruit and berries, most fruits are forbidden on this diet. This includes apples, bananas, pears, plums, nectarines, and other fruits you can typically find in grocery stores or at markets.
Grains
Grains are not allowed on this low-carb diet. This includes all grains and grain products: wheat, rice, oats, quinoa, amaranth, barley, rye, and corn. So, no cereals, pastas, or oatmeal is allowed.
[Read More: Brown Rice Vs. White Rice — Which Is Better for Strength Athletes?]
Dairy Products
Most versions of the egg diet forbid dairy products, although some people use butter or ghee to cook their eggs. On the keto egg diet, cooking with butter is encouraged. Milk, cream, cheese, and yogurt are not allowed on other versions of the egg diet.
Processed Meat
Wave goodbye to bacon, deli meat, sausage, and other processed meats if you choose to try the egg diet: You’ll have to give them up for this eating plan.
Ultra-Processed Snacks
You can pretty much count out any food items that come in boxes or bags: chips, granola bars, candy, cereal, crackers, and other ultra-processed snacks are no-gos.
Potential Benefits of the Egg Diet
According to Reisdorf, the health benefits of the egg diet are very limited. It’s not what a healthcare professional or dietitian would call an objectively healthy eating pattern, she says, but there are some potential benefits.
Vitamin D
“Eggs are a nutrient-dense food,” Reisdorf says. “They do provide high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals.” One of those vitamins is vitamin D. In fact, eggs are one of the best sources food of vitamin D, with one large egg providing 37 international units of vitamin D. That’s about five percent of the daily recommended intake.
Choline
Eggs are high in choline, an essential nutrient that plays a role in several metabolic processes and bodily functions.
Protein
Eggs are also a great source of protein: One large egg provides about seven grams of protein. “Eating a lot of eggs can increase fullness and help you build or maintain lean muscle mass,” Reisdorf says.
[Read More: The Best-Tasting Protein Powders]
Blood Sugar
The egg diet is essentially a more restrictive ketogenic diet, so it may help reduce or manage blood sugar levels due to the reduction in carbohydrate and sugar intake.
Weight Loss
Most people who try the egg diet want to lose weight. And while it can work for this purpose, but Reisdorf cautions against it, as it’s not considered a healthy way to lose weight. “This diet can support weight loss goals by creating a calorie deficit and general dietary boredom of always eating the same foods,” Reisdorf explains. “This may potentially lead to quick short-term weight loss.”
Risks of the Egg Diet
“The egg diet, particularly in its more restrictive forms, has many health risks, including nutrient deficiencies and increased cholesterol intake,” Reisdorf says. Additionally, she says that “too much protein can strain kidneys over time and it is not recommended for those with kidney disease.”
But the true risk, Residorf says, is the restrictiveness of this diet. It isn’t sustainable, and though it may result in weight loss due to reduced calorie intake, it likely won’t help with long-term weight management.
[Read More: The Best Supplements for Weight Loss]
“I would not recommend the egg diet, especially its more restrictive versions,” Reisdorf cautions. “A balanced diet to support weight loss includes protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats.”
There is no reason to restrict your diet in such an extreme way.
— Ana Reisdorf, RD
“Those promoting this diet are downplaying the potential health risks due to its restrictiveness,” she continues, advising individuals to seek input from a registered dietitian nutritionist or medical professional about the egg diet.
Disordered Eating Habits
With restrictive diets, people risk engaging in or exacerbating disordered eating habits. Given its severe restrictiveness and its promise of rapid weight loss, the egg diet may involve developing these habits.
Increased Cholesterol Levels
Though it’s been debunked that eggs cause heart disease, eggs do contain high amounts of cholesterol. Plus, the diet rules out whole grains, which have a positive impact on heart health. Individuals with a high risk of cardiovascular disease should consult a doctor about the implications of the egg diet.
Constipation
The egg diet severely limits fiber consumption because it rules out grains and most fruits and vegetables. This can lead to constipation and other symptoms of gastrointestinal distress.
[Read More: The Best Greens Powders, Tested, Chosen, and Approved by a Dietitian]
Calcium Deficiency
Because the egg diet doesn’t allow dairy products, following the egg diet for an extended period of time could lead to calcium deficiency. Long-term, this has potentially negative implications for bone health. It may be wise to take a calcium supplement if you choose to follow the egg diet.
Weight Regain
Any restrictive diet poses the risk of weight regain after you stop following the diet. For successful weight management in the long term, health professionals advise a more balanced approach.
Takeaways
Here’s a recap of the egg diet.
- The egg diet involves eating several eggs per day. There are generally no restrictions on how they’re prepared.
- There is no formal, defined version of the egg diet. There are several versions, and you can choose which one best suits you.
- Other than eggs, you can also have low-carb fruits and vegetables, as well as lean proteins.
- Dairy, processed meats, processed snacks, and high-carbohydrate foods are not allowed.
- The egg diet can help you lose weight by reducing your calorie intake, but its restrictive nature makes it unsustainable for long-term, successful weight management.
- Side effects of the egg diet include constipation, calcium deficiency, and increased cholesterol levels.
- There are better eating patterns to try to achieve weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions people raise the most about this diet.
How much weight can you lose in a week with an egg diet?
It’s possible to lose a substantial amount of weight in one week when following the egg diet, because food choices are severely limited and, as such, you’ll reduce your calorie intake. The exact amount of weight you lose depends on your exact calorie deficit, but it’s not uncommon for people to lose more than five pounds in one week. A healthy rate of weight loss is considered to be one to two pounds per week, according to many experts, since it is more sustainable.
Does the 14-day egg diet work?
On the 14-day egg diet, you’ll eat a diet consisting mostly of eggs. Depending on the exact version of the egg diet you choose to follow, you may have grapefruit with every serving of eggs, or also include other lean proteins and low-carb fruits and vegetables. During the 14 days, you won’t be able to have dairy, processed meat, grains, or processed snacks, such as chips and crackers.
Can I drink alcohol on the egg fast?
No, alcohol is not allowed on the egg diet. Only zero-calorie beverages are allowed on the egg diet, and alcohol contains seven calories per gram. Plus, alcohol impairs organ function and metabolism and is generally unhelpful when weight loss is the goal.
What makes the three-day egg diet able to help one overcome a weight loss plateau?
Someone may overcome a weight loss plateau on a three-day egg diet because they consume considerably fewer calories during those three days. This may kickstart weight loss after a period of stagnancy. But, according to Reisdorf, rapid weight loss often comes with rapid weight regain, so take caution with this approach.
Featured Image: Olesya_sh / Shutterstock
