Eggs are sometimes called “nature’s perfect food.“
Eggs are packed with vitamins and minerals, and an egg is a complete source of protein, which means that it contains all nine essential amino acids.
But, is the egg diet healthy? How many calories are there in boiled eggs? Is there evidence to suggest an egg diet weight loss association?
In this egg diet guide, we will discuss what the boiled egg diet entails, the pros and cons of this diet, the calories in boiled eggs, what you can eat on the boiled egg diet plan, and what sorts of boiled egg diet weight loss results you may expect.
We will look at the following:
- What Is the Boiled Egg Diet?
- How to Follow the Boiled Egg Diet
- What Can You Eat On the Boiled Egg Diet?
- Is the Boiled Egg Diet Healthy?
Let’s get started!
What Is the Boiled Egg Diet?
The boiled egg diet, sometimes called the hard boiled egg diet, is a fad diet purported to result in rapid weight loss.
Although the hard boiled egg diet meal plan does involve eating more than just boiled eggs, the crux of this meal plan, as the name describes, does indeed center around eating several servings of hard-boiled eggs per day.
Other foods found on the hard boiled egg diet meal plan include a few other lean proteins, non-starchy vegetables, and certain low-sugar fruits.
This diet is credited to being the brainchild of Arielle Chandler, who published a book in 2018 about the diet.
Arielle Chandler’s egg diet book provides a structured meal plan, recipes, foods to eat and avoid on the diet, and purported boiled egg diet benefits.
However, Arielle Chandler does not seem to have credentials as a registered dietitian or educated nutritionist, and much of the creation of this diet is not necessarily based on science.
How to Follow the Boiled Egg Diet
The boiled egg diet is very structured and restrictive. There are three meals per day and no snacks are allowed between meals.
There are several variations of this diet, but the basic premise is that you should be eating hard-boiled eggs or another source of lean proteins with every meal along with non-starchy vegetables.
You are also allowed to have 1 to 2 servings of low-sugar fruits every day.
Here is how to follow the hard boiled egg diet:
Breakfast
Eat at least two eggs, along with one serving of a non-starchy vegetable such as asparagus, spinach, or tomatoes, and one serving of a low-sugar fruit such as grapefruit.
Note that the serving size for fruits is often smaller than you may think; for a grapefruit, the serving size is typically 1/2 of a medium-sized grapefruit.
Lunch
Consume eggs or a small serving of other lean proteins, such as fish or chicken, along with non-starchy vegetables.
Dinner
The same general rules as lunch, but you can choose different lean proteins and/or non-starchy vegetables.
There are no specific exercise guidelines or requirements for the boiled egg diet, though dieters are encouraged to participate in light physical activity every day, such as brisk walking or easy cycling.
This diet is not intended to be a long-term diet but rather a short-term weight loss diet to jumpstart your weight loss and reset your palate.
After following the boiled egg diet for several weeks, dieters are supposed to undergo a transition period to gradually return to a regular diet.
What Can You Eat On the Boiled Egg Diet?
Here are the main foods that you can eat on this diet:
- Eggs: Egg yolks, egg whites
- Lean proteins: Skinless chicken breast and turkey breast, lean fish, lean cuts of beef and pork, steamed tofu
- Non-starchy vegetables: Spinach, bok chop, kale, arugula, collard greens, broccoli, bell peppers, asparagus, zucchini, tomatoes
- Low-carb fruits: Lemons, limes, grapefruit, berries, cranberries, melon
- Calorie-free beverages: Water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, and coffee
- Fats and oils (minimal amounts): Coconut oil, butter, mayonnaise
- Herbs and spices: Black pepper, garlic, basil, oregano, turmeric, cumin, rosemary
Here are some foods that you cannot eat on the diet:
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, winter squash, lentils, corn, and peas
- High-carb fruits: Bananas, pineapples, mangoes, sweet cherries, grapes, apples, and dried fruit
- Grains: Bread, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, crackers, bagels, quinoa, couscous, farro, buckwheat, and barley
- Dairy: Ice cream, cheese, cream, milk, yogurt
- Processed foods: Bacon, sausage, frozen meals, fast food, chips, pretzels, fruit snacks, candy, canned soup, cookies, and sweets
- Sweetened beverages: Soda, juice, sweet tea, energy drinks, coffee drinks with syrups or sugar, and sports drinks.
Is the Boiled Egg Diet Healthy?
It is true that most of the foods on the boiled egg diet are nutrient-dense, low-calorie, and free from obvious nutritional problems, such as including highly processed ingredients, added sugars, hydrogenated oils, excess sodium, and an excessive number of calories.
Moreover, eggs are generally considered to be a healthy food since they are natural, high in protein, and contain numerous vitamins and minerals.
Thus, it is conceivable that you can lose weight on the boiled egg diet and potentially improve your health through food choices and meal plan.
However, one of the glaring issues with the boiled egg diet is in the promises in terms of the expected weight loss results.
Arielle Chandler’s book claims that people can lose up to 25 pounds or 11 kg in just two weeks on this diet.
This is not only unrealistic for almost everyone but unsafe.
In addition to trying the boiled egg diet for weight loss, proponents of the hard boiled egg diet suggest that followers will experience other beneficial health effects such as improved blood sugar management, decreased insulin levels, better vision, and stronger bones, hair, and nails.
These health benefits of the boiled egg diet are largely thought to be due to the nutrients found in eggs as well as the low carb, low sugar meal plan overall.
So, how many calories are in boiled eggs?
According to the USDA’s FoodData Central, one large, whole, hard-boiled chicken egg contains 78 calories, 6.3 grams of protein, 5.34 grams of fat, negligible carbohydrates and sugar, and small amounts of minerals such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and selenium.
Egg whites contain about 67% of the protein found in an egg, and protein may increase satiety.
Whole eggs also provide a decent amount of vitamin A, vitamin D, folate, and the antioxidants choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which support eye health.
The primary nutritional concern about eating too many boiled eggs centers around the amount of cholesterol in an egg.
One whole egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol, all of which is found in the egg yolk.
Although the evidence and expert opinions about the impact of dietary cholesterol are mixed, there is evidence to suggest that consuming a lot of cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
On the other hand, according to the American Heart Association and some others in the field of nutrition and health, dietary cholesterol doesn’t necessarily increase cholesterol levels since the body already manufactures cholesterol endogenously.
Another downside of the boiled egg diet for health is that the meal plan is insufficient in calories, healthy fats, and fiber for most adults.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that adult women should consume 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, and men should eat 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day, which is likely not possible on the boiled egg diet plan.
Overall, while these potential boiled egg diet health benefits make sense in theory, given the nutrient profile of eggs and the foods found on the hard boiled egg diet meal plan, there are no scientific studies or evidence specifically looking at the boiled egg diet.
Thus, these can only be taken as purported benefits of the boiled egg diet rather than evidence-based benefits.
While, in theory, the boiled egg diet has some potential health benefits and eggs, along with the other foods on the boiled egg meal plan are considered healthy, the diet is extremely restrictive.
Ultimately, like many fad diets, the boiled egg diet weight loss results are often not as significant as the hype surrounding the diet may convince you to believe.
In addition, the hard-boiled egg diet, like other very restrictive fad diets, is generally not considered to be safe nor sustainable, and most people regain the weight lost on the egg diet as soon as regular eating is resumed.
For more of our diet guides, check out our wide variety of articles about Intermittent Fasting and Keto here.
