Egg diet: principle, menus and recommended and non-recommended foods

'Egg diet': the principle of this diet

The 'egg diet' or 'egg regimen' is a popular diet that has emerged over time. It involves, for a few days:

• eating eggs at each of the 3 main meals of the day (accompanied by other foods such as chicken or fish, non-starchy vegetables, etc., to maintain a balanced diet at minimum levels); and
• rapidly lowering the calorific value of the diet by reducing the consumption of carbohydrates, while maintaining a sufficient intake of proteins to preserve muscle mass.

Eggs are low in calories and rich in protein. What's more, they make you feel full, thereby helping you control your appetite (1). They are also a good source of micronutrients (vitamin B12, D, selenium, zinc, etc.).

This radical, low-calorie diet provides, on average, around 800 to 1,000 kcal per day, which is very low and can stress the body. Therefore, an egg diet is only followed for a few days, a week at most.

What are the benefits of the egg diet?

The egg diet should normally allow you to lose 2 to 4 kilos in a short week of dieting (5 to 7 days).

This weight loss is due to:

• a loss of fat mass. The drastic reduction in carbohydrates in the diet has the effect of maintaining a low insulin level and a high glucagon level, which after a few days causes a state of ketosis. In ketosis, the liver breaks down fatty acids from stored fat (adipose tissue) to produce ketone bodies, which serve as an alternative energy source for the body. This process promotes fat burning. (2);
• a loss of water. This is also due to the reduction of carbohydrates, stored in the body in the form of glycogen. When glycogen reserves decrease, they release the water associated with them, which contributes to weight loss (3).

Dangers and contraindications of this drastic diet

Our opinion on the egg diet

This diet, with its promising goals, is potentially effective while being rather old-fashioned.

Although it is recommended by certain nutritionists such as Jean-Michel Cohen, it is often criticised for being difficult to follow (reducing the amount of carbohydrates consumed can be challenging), and for the significant risk of the yo-yo effect (gaining weight back after the diet).

Contact a health professional for advice before trying this diet, and if you do decide to go ahead, be sure to follow the precautions below.

Three precautions to take during the egg diet

Even in healthy people, such a radically low-calorie diet requires at least these 3 precautions to be taken:

1. To avoid nutritional deficiencies, a metabolic slowdown or the onset of unbalanced eating behaviours, the egg diet should not be prolonged.
2. It is important to avoid any sudden or intense physical activity during the diet, as restrictive eating can lead to fatigue and episodes of hypoglycaemia. However, it is essential to maintain gentle physical activity, such as walking or cycling.
3. It is crucial to wean yourself off the diet gradually to avoid regaining weight. Then, maintain a balanced and healthy diet, rich in protein and low in saturated fats and added sugars, in order to stabilise your weight and maintain a low body fat percentage.

Contraindications to the egg diet

High protein levels in the egg diet can overload the liver and kidneys, especially in people already suffering from pathologies associated with these organs (4). In general, this type of diet is strongly discouraged in the following cases:

• insulin-dependent diabetes;
• renal or hepatic insufficiency;
• cardiovascular or muscular diseases;
• hypercholesterolaemia or hypotension;
• eating disorders;
• serious nutritional deficiencies;
• pregnancy and breastfeeding;
• elderly people; and/or
• people undergoing treatment.

Even outside of these conditions, be sure to seek advice from a health professional before following this restrictive diet.

Which foods should you choose or avoid on this diet?

Egg diet: recommended foods

The egg diet generally recommends that you prioritise these foods:

• eggs, of course, to be eaten in different forms (cooked, poached, hard-boiled, in an omelette without added fat);
• lean meats (chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, etc.);
• non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, etc.) that are low in carbohydrates, for example, in the form of vegetable broth;
• occasional small amounts of citrus fruits (grapefruit, orange); and
• sufficient quantities of water.

What foods should be avoided during the diet?

As for the foods to be avoided in this context, they are generally:

• starchy foods and cereals (pasta, bread, rice, etc.);
• foods high in sugar (sweets, fizzy drinks, pastries, etc.);
• fruits rich in carbohydrates (bananas, grapes, mangoes, etc.);
• vegetables rich in starch (peas, corn, etc.);
• fatty dairy products (butter, cream, full-fat cheese, etc.);
• saturated fats (butter, margarine, etc.) and processed foods (ready meals, sausages, fried foods, snacks, etc.); and
• alcohol (beer, wine, spirits, etc.).

Egg diet: sample menus for 3 days

Day 1

Breakfast:

• 2 scrambled eggs;
• 1 apple;
• green tea or ginger infusion.

Morning snack:

• a handful of almonds.

Lunch:

• 1 soft-boiled egg;
• 1 baked fish fillet;
• cooked grated cauliflower;
• a plate of lettuce, tomato, onion and carrot seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil;
• a glass of lemon water.

Afternoon snack:

• yoghurt made with almond milk with no added sugar.

Dinner:

• 1 fried egg;
• sautéed prawns with garlic and lemon;
• zucchini;
• plain coconut milk yoghurt (no added sugar).

Day 2

Breakfast:

• 2 hard-boiled eggs;
• an almond milk smoothie with 4 strawberries and linseed;
• 1 kiwi or 1 small apple.

Morning snack:

• a small handful of walnuts.

Lunch:

• 1 soft-boiled egg;
• 1 grilled chicken fillet;
• steamed broccoli and green beans with a drizzle of olive oil;
• 1 mandarin;
• mint tea.

Afternoon snack:

• coconut milk yoghurt with a few berries.

Dinner:

• 1 scrambled egg;
• 1 grilled turkey fillet with herbes de Provence;
• 1 medium baked aubergine, stuffed with tofu;
• homemade apple sauce with no added sugar.

Day 3

Breakfast:

• 2 poached eggs;
• yoghurt made with almond milk and chia seeds;
• a handful of berries;
• 1 cup of unsweetened coffee.

Morning snack:

• a green spinach smoothie.

Lunch:

• 2 soft-boiled eggs with grilled courgettes, broccoli, spinach and a few black olives;
• 1 clementine or 1 orange;
• home-made flavoured water (water infused with slices of lemon and mint).

Afternoon snack:

• 1 apple baked with cinnamon.

Dinner:

• 1 hard-boiled egg;
• 1 slice of oven-baked salmon;
• cauliflower broth;
• grilled asparagus with a squeeze of lemon.

In case of severe fatigue, headaches or other significant symptoms, gradually reintroduce a supply of complex carbohydrates (wholemeal rice, quinoa, oats, etc.)

For a 7-day egg diet, simply maintain a similar meal structure and composition by continuing the diet for 4 more days.

What dietary supplements should you take when on an egg diet?

In addition to reducing your intake of carbohydrates, following an egg diet can lower your intake of micronutrients due to the lack of dietary diversity (despite the nutritional richness of eggs), and thus can be responsible for deficiencies that are problematic for your health.

It is therefore in your best interest to accompany this diet with a course of dietary supplements, namely:

• a multivitamin supplement to compensate for the possible decrease in your intake of vitamins and minerals, due to the exclusion of many fruits and vegetables (consider the complete multivitamin Super Omega 3, the purest natural EPA and DHA supplement on the market) (6);
• a fibre supplement, for example fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS), to compensate for the possible general decrease in your fibre intake (with Fructo-Oligosaccharides) (7);
• a probiotic supplement to support your intestinal health, which can be affected by dietary changes, as a high-protein diet can contribute to constipation (consider Probio Forte);
• digestive enzymes to facilitate the digestion of proteins (such as Digestive Enzymes);
• a calcium supplement to compensate for the possible decrease in your calcium intake due to the exclusion of several dairy products (with Calcium Orotate); and/or
• a magnesium supplement to compensate for the possible decrease in your magnesium intake due to the exclusion of several types of food (with Magnesium Orotate).