There is no doubt in the fact that a diet consisting just of eggs is low on fats and carbohydrates, but is heavily loaded with protein. Moreover, the incorporation of an egg diet – a diet that focuses largely on eggs as a source of nutrition – can effectively help you lose weight without cutting down on your protein intake. However, a more detailed look into this low-carb diet can, on the other hand, interpret a different reality. Though being quite good for one’s overall body development, it must also be noted that protein intake needs differ for different people.
And just like any other diet routine, the egg diet also has a list of pros as well as cons. So, before you go on following this plan, make sure that you weigh in on the benefits and side effects of an egg diet plan.
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Table of Contents
What Is An Egg Diet Plan? The Correct Definition:
As mentioned, the egg-diet plan heavily relies on eggs for the entire nutritional intake, which makes it a high-protein diet. Since a single egg contains less than 1 gram of carbohydrates and is relatively low on calories, a perfect application of an egg-diet can be beneficial for burning the body’s stored fat.
Also Read: Top 10 Benefits Of A Protein-Rich Diet | Vitamin D Rich Foods
There are two types of egg-based diet. The first one is known as an only egg-diet, in which, as the name suggests, all the three meals involve eggs in one way or the other. This diet is fat-burning, low on calories, and is a form of a mono-diet (a type of diet that involves only one food item). Considered to be quite extreme, most of the dieters who follow only-egg diet usually consume hard-boiled eggs and water for fourteen days straight to lose weight in a short period of time.
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The other version of an egg diet includes a 14-day application of egg-related diet. Though you might think that it is the same as the only-egg diet that we have previously listed, but, in a 14-day egg-related-diet, you can add other forms of lean proteins as well. Some of the popular food items apart from eggs, which are introduced in this extreme diet, are chicken and fish.
Keto egg-diet, which is also one of the egg-diet types, has a completely different principle behind it. It involves the consumption of healthy fats alongside eggs, for the increased intake of fats keeps the body away from getting into the stage of ketosis. Ketones are an essential part of the diet as they help in the development of the body tissues, however, upon the absence of carbs or fats, the body tends to use these ketones and convert them to energy. Thus, a keto egg-diet includes a low dosage of fats and carbs along with the consumption of eggs.
Also Read: Egg Benefits: Improved Cholesterol, Weight Loss And More
Food Items That Can Be A Part Of Your Egg-Diet
Although you might think that the diet plan which involves the incorporation of an egg-diet must have just eggs on its catalog, then you are wrong, for it involves a rather impressive list of items loaded with lean proteins that can help you get your body into that ideal shape you want.
Here is the list of few of those food items that can maximize your egg-diet’s beneficial nature:
1. Fruits And Leafy greens Veggies
Not only will these two provide you with a great source of vitamins, being quite high on fiber adding fruits and green leafy veggies to your egg-diet can boost its benefits. Fibers are that part of food which is completely indigestible. So, a fiber loaded food item, when consumed, takes longer to digest and requires more effort from the stomach. Due to this effort, the body itself burns some calories for the digestion of such fiber-filled food, which increases the body’s fat-burning capabilities.
Also Read: Benefits Of : Vitamin C | Vitamin E Rich Diet
2. Poultry And Fish
These two, unlike fruits and vegetables, may lack certain nutrients, but are quite heavily loaded with lean protein and can provide the body a sufficient supply for the muscle development, as it enables you to lose weight without cutting down on fat.
3. Non-Starchy Foods
The food items which contain about 0% starch can prove to be a great addition to your egg-diet. The main reason behind weight gain, irrespective of the common belief, is sugar, which upon being broken-down into glucose after consumption, tends to stay in the body as fats. Thus, it is highly advised that if you are following an extreme weight-loss diet such as an egg-diet, you should avoid any form of food item that contains starch.
Also Read: Benefits of Fruits | 18 Glorious Reasons To Eat Fruits | Super Foods To Reduce Belly Fat | Best Diet To Shed Tummy Flab
4. Unsweetened Beverages
Water is a typical example of one of these. It is quite important, especially when you are undergoing an extreme weight-loss diet, which you cut down on your sugar intake, as we have mentioned about its side-effect leading up to weight gain, which might significantly lower the beneficial nature of your purely egg-based diet.
Food Items That Cannot Be A Part Of Your Egg Diet
Though by taking a look at the aforementioned list of food items that you can include in your egg-diet, it must be clear to you about what it is that you must avoid, however it wouldn’t hurt anyone to be more specific about it. Here is the list of items that you must refrain from consuming while on an extreme weight-loss diet such as an egg-diet:
1. Sugar Or Sweetened Snacks
It is self-evident that the consumption of sugar must be avoided when your weight is under consideration, for sugar is a form of carbohydrate, which upon being consumed, turns into fat. Moreover, sugar is rather addictive, for after eating a sugary snack, you feel a mild ‘high’ and the sweetness definitely feels good. However, this also increases the craving for more sugary items, which might prove to be a bane for dieters.
2. Fried Food
Mostly cooked in unsaturated fats, fried foods are a big no for dieters. Unsaturated fats, or unhealthy fats, are known to be linked with the increased cholesterol levels and might jeopardize your cardiovascular health. And the ultimate purpose of losing weight is nothing but to stay fit and avoid any side effects that may lead to more long-term damage.
3. Items Made From Refined Carbs
These items include bread and pasta. Refined carbs are much easier for the body to break down, and sugar is just another type of refined or processed carb, the other one being refined grains. Due to their property of being easily broken down, the refined carbs are digested quickly, but, due to their high glycaemic index, their consumption is often linked with the rapid increase in the blood’s sugar level.
Benefits Of An Egg-Diet
1. Good For Quick Weight Loss
The complete absence of fats and carbs from one’s diet may lead to a sudden change in your body structure, and if you are hoping to achieve a structure that’s slim, then this may be the right diet.
Also Read: Green Tea And Weight loss: 5 Quick & Important Things To Note
2. A Health Dosage Of Protein
Protein is one of the most important macro-nutrient that comes into use for the development of the muscle tissues. In fact, protein is also present in your DNA, a very important fact that proves its beneficial nature towards the overall development of the body.
Side-Effects Of An Egg-Diet
1. Quite High On Cholesterol
Though the egg-diet may include the absence of unsaturated fat, which might lead up to a low cholesterol level, an egg itself, on the other hand, is quite loaded with it, and may not be as beneficial for your heart as it is for your weight.
2. May Also Result In A Lack Of Energy
Due to the lack of carbs, the incorporation of an egg-diet might just result in a lack of energy in your body. The carbohydrates, after being consumed, are broken down into energy, and once you cut down on this essential macro-nutrient, it might just make your day a little dull.
3. Sustaining Weight Loss Is Difficult
Once you cut down on fats or carbs filled food items, the weight-loss that arises from such conditions is quite hard to sustain. The reason behind this is that when you cut down on your food, the body gets used to your new low-fat food habit, and in turn, it slows down your metabolism. And later, as we are pretty sure that you’ll not be continuing with the egg-diet for the rest of your life, the incorporation of a regular diet might lead to weight-gain, all thanks to the body’s slow metabolic rate.
Can Egg-Diet Be Considered Safe?
If you take into account every aspect of one’s health and requirement, the application of egg-diet might be more bad than good. Yes, it can very well help you lose weight faster, and might also load you up with protein, but, protein won’t be of any use if you don’t exercise. The egg whites, though rich in protein, might just not cut it in terms of energy, and you might end up with a lack of energy and low productivity.
So if you are looking forward to going along with it, make sure that you are well prepared for it, for the egg-diet might just be the answer for your weight-loss prayers, it might still not be as healthy as you want it to be if sustained for a long time.