You might have heard the rumors that eggs are bad for you. These claims usually say they lead to heart disease, weight gain, and more — and they are completely wrong. These low-carb, high-protein foods can actually help you lose weight, and it can be a great idea to add them to your meal plan.
Wondering how eggs can help you meet your weight loss goals? Well, these nutritious little egg-shaped foods can speed up your metabolism and assist in a number of other ways.
Keep reading to learn more about eggs with MyFitFoods.
Are Eggs Good for You?
Including eggs in your diet can help encourage healthy eating and provide a reliable source of protein and fat.
Eggs contain a number of important vitamins and minerals. For example, they have plenty of vitamin D, which you need for your bone health, as vitamin D helps the body process calcium. They also contain lutein, an antioxidant that is great for eye health.
In addition,eggs contain choline, which can help increase your metabolism, aiding weight loss. Speaking of your metabolism, your thyroid plays a crucial role in regulating it. Selenium and iodine — both found in eggs — can help keep your thyroid healthy.
As if we needed another reason to love eggs, their protein content is amazing. Two eggs alone can satisfy 25% of your daily protein needs, thanks to the six grams of protein found in a single large egg. If you want to ensure that you get plenty of protein and all of the energy and amino acids that come with it, you can’t go wrong with an egg.
Sugar (or Lack Thereof) and Your Blood Sugar
Have you thought about what your high-carbohydrate breakfast options contain? Those cereals, toasts, and bagels all have some added sugar.
Obviously, some have more than others, but even the items labeled sugar-free really aren’t. They manage to sneak in a bit of high fructose corn syrup.
If you want a truly sugar-free breakfast, look no further than eggs — they don’t contain any sugar at all. Scramble up a few, place a sunny side up egg next to a side of low-fat sausage, and enjoy knowing that you won’t have to track the sugar content of your breakfast.
Because eggs don’t have any sugar in them, they can be helpful for regulating your blood sugar. Your blood glucose levels will remain stable after eating them, and you won’t have to worry about any blood sugar spikes since they take a bit of time to digest properly.
This means that you get a bit of a break if you have type 2 diabetes, and you won’t have to worry about those pesky blood sugar spikes and crashes.
Those Rumors About Cholesterol
In the past, there were claims that a high-egg diet contained a lot of dietary cholesterol, meaning that eating them increased your blood cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease.
Now, scientists realize that this isn’t the case at all. In fact, eggs contain Omega-3s, which actually help lower your bad cholesterol levels and aid your heart health. You no longer have to fear eating eggs, so you can enjoy them every day if you’re trying to lose weight and reduce body fat.
Is There a Good Time of Day To Eat Eggs?
Even though you could include eggs in just about any meal throughout the day, studies have shown you’re less likely to reach for snacks throughout the day if you eat eggs for breakfast. In fact, you’re more likely to eat less in general.
This study compared two groups of people: One had bagels for breakfast, and the other ate whole eggs, egg whites, or egg yolks. Both groups consumed the same number of calories. However, the people who ate eggs had a smaller lunch and ate less food during the day than those who had bagels. This might be due to reduced cravings after eating a nutrient-dense egg breakfast.
This is one of the key health benefits of eggs — they’re known to increase satiety and may help you eat fewer calories throughout the day. (Just be sure you’re still consuming enough to get all of those necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you need to function optimally. Food is fuel!)
What does this mean? Well, if you want to eat eggs, while you have plenty of meal options (like breakfast, lunch, and dinner), it’s best to have them with your breakfast. Not only does this set you up with a higher resting metabolism throughout the day, but it also means that you’ll have a lower total calorie intake overall and won’t feel as hungry.
Preparing Eggs: Many Options
One of the best things about eggs is the fact that there are so many different ways to eat them. You won’t get bored with them if you add some of these meal suggestions to your menu:
Omelet
Making an omelet out of three eggs, a little bit of cheese, and plenty of vegetables (consider spinach, mushrooms, peppers, and onions) is a wonderful way to ensure that you eat a high-protein diet, a number of healthy fats, and plenty of and veggies.
You can also make omelets that include meat (look for low-fat options or even alternatives like tofu-based sausage) if you need some extra nutrition and high-quality protein.
Hard-Boiled
If you’re always on the go, make some hard-boiled eggs. They can be boiled ahead of time, placed in a refrigerated container, and removed as needed.
You won’t have to worry about making breakfast— just reach for the eggs right on your top shelf. You can even take a few to the gym for a healthy post-workout meal.
Poached
Making poached eggs requires a bit of practice. Once you have them down, you’ll be able to enjoy these delicately cooked eggs and their runny yolks any time you want.
Add a little salt and pepper, serve with a side of cooked spinach or another green vegetable, and you’ll have a healthy meal in a flash.
Scrambled
Few things are as classic as scrambled eggs. Break a few eggs into a bowl, discard the shells, mix the eggs up, and pour them into a heated pan with some olive oil.
Some people swear that you need to add a little milk to the mixture, while others go with water, but you can actually add neither. Just cook until the eggs aren’t runny anymore, and you have a quick breakfast to enjoy.
Fried
Looking for a quick and easy breakfast that doesn’t require much work at all? Fried eggs are the answer that you’ve been seeking.
All you need are a few eggs, a spatula, and a pan. You can make your eggs sunny side up, cook them until their yolks are only a little runny, or go for hard yolks. It’s all up to you!
Final Thoughts on Eggs
As you can see, eggs are not only filled with essential vitamins and minerals, but they also contain a lot of protein. So, all of those fears of them being high in cholesterol are completely unfounded.
When you add in the fact that eggs are plentifully available, relatively inexpensive, and can be prepared in many different ways, you have a perfect meal.
Although breakfast is the best time to eat an egg or two, feel free to enjoy them at any time of the day. We love breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and eggs are a big part of that! They’re great for weight loss and can be a major part of your healthy diet.
Want to learn more about eggs? Contact us here!
Sources:
Can Eating Eggs Help You Lose Weight | Medical News Today
20 Reasons Eggs Could Be Your Secret Weight Loss Weapon | Eat This, Not That!
Eggs Might Be the Ultimate Weight Management Food | Healthline
About Author: Mario Mendias
