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The Boiled Egg Diet: How Many Eggs Should You Have in a Day?

The Boiled Egg Diet: How Many Eggs Should You Have in a Day?

Saturday, February 24, 2018 IST

We now live in a world where it is almost impossible to escape the pervasiveness of processed food items. Not only ready-eat-meals but most of the raw ingredients that go into cooking our final meals are also processed in nature. This has led to a departure from the processed to what can be naturally procured and included in the diet. As more and more people struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance, little attention is given to the daily diet. This facilitates fad-diets to make inroads into our lives. While little is known about the actual efficacy of most of these popular diets, they are exceptionally alluring in making some of us fall as their prey.

One of our recent discoveries was The Boiled Egg Diet. The diet has several versions, and one of them looks like a recipe for self-destruction - where you're supposed to have boiled eggs for all your meals! Eating close to 6 eggs in a day! Sounds like a meal plan for a person prepping for some serious athletic competition. It is a well-known fact that eggs are a good source of protein and fat. Going overboard with them and depriving your body of the essential food groups will surely result into weight-loss but deprivation of other essential nutrients as well. Bottom-line? No you shouldn't have 6 eggs in a day. Experts suggest one or maximum two eggs in a day. Eggs can heat your body from within, so in peak summers, one is advised to stick to just one a day. Excessive egg consumption can lead to lead to elevated cholesterol levels.

Eggs and weight-loss

Eggs have been tied to initiate weight-loss. However, the yolk has been notoriously linked with increasing cholesterol levels and triggering weight gain. Because of this very reason, people on high intensity fitness regime consume eggs sans yolk. Experts all over the world picked up the concept of The Boiled Egg Diet and modified it to make weight-loss plans that not only ensure healthy weight loss but regular supply of essential micronutrients as well.

Eggs, when consumed for breakfast, have been known to induce satiety in people keeping them feel full for long. Eggs are loaded with protein, if you are burning calories, there is nothing like eggs to replace the loss of fat with some lean muscle. These are thermogenic and help boost metabolism and burn calories. One of the studies published in US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health studied 30 women with BMI of at least 25kg/M2. The participants aged between 25 and 60 years nd were made to have eggs for breakfast. It was found that, "during the pre-lunch period, participants had greater feelings of satiety after the egg breakfast, and consumed significantly less energy. Energy intake following the egg breakfast remained lower for the entire day as well as for the next 36 hours".

Eggs also help in maintaining healthy and strong bones and muscles. It should be kept in mind that an average adult, with moderate intensity exercise routine, should not consume more than 2 eggs in a day. How you have eggs is also important. Boiled eggs are your best bet as they are devoid of any excess oil or additional fat or calories. Few other versions of The Boiled Egg Diet may advocate consuming a couple of eggs at least twice a day with a mix of vegetables, salads or fruits. These diet regimes are predominantly based on the elimination or regulating of carbs in the diet to induce weight loss.

"I would never recommend such a diet; it is too much of cholesterol and fat on the body. A maximum of 2 eggs a day would suffice for an average adult - one whole and one egg white - best consumed during breakfast. Egg whites source you with quality protein. Those who require more protein can easily meet the requirement through other food items like lean meats. Boiled eggs are one of the best ways to consume eggs. Don't forget, you can always poach them or bake an omelet, these are all healthy," Dr. Rupali Datta, Ex-clinical Nutritionist, Fortis Hospital, New Delhi.

Weight loss should always be achieved by a balanced mix of good diet and a consistent fitness regime. Play around with your exercise routine in case you have hit a plateau or are unable to lose weight. Cutting down on a food group or consuming an excess of some item will always lead to nutritional imbalances in the body. Also, the achieved weight loss will be transitory, short-lived, unhealthy and will resurface once you are back to your regular routine.