There are high-fat diets, low-carb diets, and everything in between – including the boiled egg diet. Have you heard about it? It’s a diet where boiled eggs play a central role in a quick weight loss program.
But does it actually work? And is it any good for you? Keep reading to learn what the boiled egg diet is all about.
Boiled Egg Diet for Fast Weight Loss
The boiled egg diet makes some pretty big claims. For example, some sources say you can “lose 24 pounds in only 14 days.” However, such drastic and fast weight loss is something to be wary of.
Quick fixes may help you lose weight in the short term, but they’re not sustainable in the long run. And such fast success can actually lead to yo-yo dieting and greater weight gain down the road.
Another reason why it’s a good idea to approach this diet with a fair degree of caution is that when a diet focuses so much on one food, it’s not exactly a balanced approach, and it can have its drawbacks.
But this comes as no surprise. After all, a balanced diet is a healthy diet.
What Is the Boiled Egg Diet?
This boiled diet is low in both carbohydrates and calories but quite high in proteins. And as the name implies, eggs are a main source of protein. The diet is not meant to be a long-term approach. Instead, it’s intended to last for 14 days or less.
So, what do you eat for 14 days with the boiled egg diet?
From the name of the diet, you might get the impression that it’s an egg-heavy diet. But the truth is, it’s a protein-heavy diet.
The lean proteins you get to eat include four food sources: eggs, chicken, turkey, and fish. You can eat fruits and vegetables, but not many!
For vegetables, the choices are broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, mushrooms, and spinach. And grapefruit is the only fruit allowed on the boiled egg diet.
The boiled egg diet allows three meals a day, and there’s no snacking allowed. As far as drinks are concerned, only water or zero-calorie beverages are permitted.
Each meal must contain a lean protein source. For one of those meals, the protein source is eggs. The other two meals can contain one of the other three lean protein sources.
6 Different Types of Egg Diet
The boiled egg diet is just one of six egg-centric diets, and yes, they’re a bit eccentric, too!
Here’s a quick overview of each one.
- 14-day egg diet: This is just another name for the boiled egg diet, which we’re covering in this article.
- 14-day egg and grapefruit diet: With this regimen, you eat half a grapefruit with every serving of lean protein, such as eggs, fish, or chicken.
- 14-day egg-only diet: For two weeks, individuals are permitted to eat only eggs and water.
- Medical egg diet: In this version, each meal consists of one egg and one slice of bread, along with fruits and vegetables. You are not permitted to cook or prepare eggs with any fat or oil, as this will add calories to them. Beverages include water, coffee, and calorie-free drinks.
- Keto egg diet: While the medical egg diet eschews fat, the Keto egg diet makes plenty of room for it. In order to place the body into a state of ketosis (when the body draws on fat stores for energy), this diet encourages eggs, butter, and cheese in abundance.
Nutrients You Can Get From the Boiled Egg Diet
The boiled egg diet isn’t all bad, and it does provide some nutrients. For example, eggs are a complete source of protein, containing all nine essential amino acids.
Along with protein, eggs are a source of fat, along with many key vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins B12 and B6 and Vitamins D and A. Minerals like iron, magnesium, and calcium are also found in eggs.
You may be wondering why grapefruits are such an important fruit for the boiled egg diet. For one thing, they’re an excellent source of Vitamin C, but they can also support weight loss efforts.
This is because a compound in grapefruits called nootkatone helps to boost the body’s metabolism and, therefore, weight loss.
The other vegetables allowed on the 14-day boiled egg diet do offer important nutrients, too. However, there are some drawbacks to consider.
Boiled Egg Diet Side Effects and Risks
Because the boiled egg diet is almost entirely lacking in carbohydrates, individuals can experience significant fatigue and a loss of energy.
What’s more, having so much protein and so little carbohydrates, like fiber, can really throw the digestive system for a loop, leading to imbalanced gut flora, constipation, and flatulence.
Not Sustainable
Even though the boiled egg diet is a short-term plan, it might be challenging to keep it going for even two weeks.
That’s because, with so little carbohydrates, individuals can expect to feel pretty fatigued and maybe even have trouble focusing.
The truth is, this 14-day diet might not be very sustainable.
Bored With Eggs
Another issue with the boiled egg diet is that it might be boring. The food selections are quite limited and restrictive and can leave you feeling deprived.
And boredom surrounding meals can lead to cheating and relapse. What’s more, feeling unsatisfied with meals is no way to live – even for two weeks.
Boiling Eggs Can Make Them Harder to Digest
Another real concern for the boiled egg diet is that boiled eggs can actually be quite difficult for the digestive system.
As celebrity dietitian, Kimberly Snyder shares, “Overcooking or “frying” your eggs will often denature the delicate proteins inside the eggs, making them even harder for your body to use/assimilate and more likely to create digestive issues.”
But even regular hard-boiled eggs can be tough for your digestive system, especially without enough fiber to boost things along.
You May Only Lose Water Weight
When you eat carbs, your body holds onto water. But because you don’t consume as many carbohydrates on the hard-boiled egg diet, your body needs less water to store carbohydrate energy.
So, it’s very possible to lose weight on the boiled egg diet, but chances are, you’ll lose water weight, which you’ll quickly regain once you reintroduce carbohydrates back into your diet.
Is the Boiled Egg Diet Safe?
While eggs are a healthy source of both protein and fat, too many eggs can be problematic. For example, this study suggests that eating more than one egg per day can increase heart failure risk.
For diabetics, the risk of coronary heart disease goes up when you consume more than one egg per day, according to this study.
The boiled egg diet is a short-term approach to losing weight quickly. However, as you can see, it may not be the healthiest nor the most sustainable diet. If you want to give it a try, it’s recommended that you consult with your doctor first and proceed with caution.
Remember, the healthiest way to eat eggs is to enjoy them in a balanced, versatile diet. Hard-boiled egg diet alone is not a magic solution and is definitely not a completely safe nor sustainable diet to follow.
