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Is Egg Yolk Good For Weight Loss? 6 Benefits Of Egg Yolk To Lose Weight 2024
Updated on
- Written by Lisandra Fields, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Kimberly Langdon, MD
If you want to lose weight, eggs should be a part of your daily diet. Not only are they easy to come by, but they’re also one of the best high-protein meals. They’re cheap and packed with a variety of health benefits.
For your information, egg yolk is rich in essential vitamins such as A, B2, B12, D, E, and K. The egg whites are only rich in protein. People tend to discard egg yolks due to their high cholesterol levels. One egg contains approximately 186 mg of cholesterol content.
Instead of counting calories, focus on the excellent health benefits that egg yolk has on your weight loss journey. These five fat-burning pills can also help you burn fat faster and get you in shape.
6 Reasons Why Eating Egg Yolks Helps Lose Weight
With that said, here are some reasons why you should eat egg yolks often if you want to shed pounds fast or maintain positive athletic performance:
- They boost metabolism
- They’re low in calories
- They regulate your appetite
- They promote healthy gut health
- They promote healthy heart health
- They’re a splendid way to start your day
6 Effects Of Egg Yolks On Weight Loss
They Boost Metabolism
Eggs are crucial elements of a regular diet. They’re known to contain a perfect balance of essential amino acids and healthy fat required for muscle building. Your body uses protein for metabolism and maintenance. Having an egg-based breakfast each day has been proven to enhance one’s metabolism by between 80 to 100 calories per day via a process known as the thermic food effect.[1]
The thermic effect of food is defined as the energy required by the body to break down or metabolize foods. The high-quality protein content in eggs is relatively more than their carbohydrate or saturated fat content.
That essentially means that eggs can help you reduce your calorie consumption and help you burn more fat to help you realize your weight loss goals sooner.
They’re Low In Calories
There are plenty of factors that lead to weight gain. One of the best ways to ensure a lower body mass is by lowering your calorie intake and increasing the number of calories you burn. Eggs make up for a great weight loss diet that you can have at any time of the day.
A whole egg is known to contain a variety of nutrients[2] and only approximately 74 calories. It’s one of the best foods to lose weight out there. An egg breakfast is mainly made up of between 2 to 4 eggs. A meal of three boiled eggs will therefore contain no more than 230 calories.
When you add a good portion of vegetables on the side, along with fiber-based foods such as avocados, you drastically decrease your calorie intake and promote a healthy diet. This kind of meal contains less than 500 calories.
However, keep in mind that if you fry whole eggs in either butter or oil, you should add at least 50 calories for every 5 grams you use.
They Regulate Your Appetite
Whole eggs are naturally filling and also high in nutritional content. This is due to their high protein content. Eggs and other protein-rich foods are known to increase fullness[3] and lower your appetite compared to foods that contain little to no protein content.
Studies[4] have consistently proven that egg meals when paired with fiber can easily lower your appetite compared to different meals with similar calorie content.
Whole eggs have a remarkably higher ranking on what’s known as the “satiety index[5] scale.” It’s responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of certain foods when it comes to lowering your calorie consumption.
What’s more, consuming a high-protein diet helps decrease your desire to fill your gut with more calories by 15%. This consequently helps prevent unhealthy snacking patterns that may lead to a gradual build-up in body fat.
They Promote Healthy Gut Health
Egg yolks are beneficial when it comes to maintaining a healthy digestive tract. In addition to being nutrient-packed, whole eggs are easily digestible compared to other protein foods such as legumes and meat.
Eggs have a high sulfur content.[6] This might be a huge contributor of intestinal gas to some, but they help treat various other digestive issues. For instance, when you have acute diarrhea, eggs are the best protein to consume in such a case.
Their protein levels are more tolerable compared to foods like fried meat, nuts, or beans. It’s advisable to prepare fresh eggs and do away with the processed types. The latter contains gluten, a common ingredient known to trigger gut problems among patients with celiac disease.
Egg yolk contains an essential protein known as phosvitin which aids in reducing harmful compounds in the body that are known to bring about inflammation. Phosvitin also promotes the overall health of your gastrointestinal tract.
They Promote Healthy Heart Health
Contrary to popular belief, eggs do not heighten your chances of heart disease. If anything, a balanced diet consisting of at least seven eggs and a list of other healthy foods can help keep you safe from certain types of stroke.
Egg yolk contains essential compounds like tyrosine,[7] amino acids, and tryptophan. All these are necessary for preventing heart-related complications as well as high blood pressure. Eggs play a considerable role in keeping your heart healthy and capable of pumping enough blood during rigorous workouts.
If you want to cook eggs but you don’t want the cholesterol, cook the egg whites only. An egg white is known to contain zero cholesterol and a reasonable level of protein. This should be the case, especially for patients who have diabetes. Cook at least three eggs per week to lower your chances of heart disease.
They’re A Splendid Way To Start Your Day
How often do you eat whole eggs in the morning? Including both the yolk and the egg white in your first meal of the day may prove to be beneficial in your weight loss efforts. Many studies have looked into the effects of eating whole eggs at the start of the day compared to eating other meals with similar calorie content.
Older studies[8] have shown that eating hard-boiled eggs in place of bagels in the morning can boost feelings of satisfaction and significantly lower the calories you consume in consecutive meals.
Ironically enough, studies[9] have also shown that eating an egg-based breakfast regularly has also been linked to a gradual decrease in weight. An analysis was performed on a group of 156 obese adolescents; those who ate a healthy breakfast with eggs had a diminished desire for lunchtime food compared to those who had a breakfast of steamed bread.
What’s more, those in the egg breakfast category had higher levels of GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1). These two hormones are required for regulating appetite as well as promoting feelings of satisfaction.
An alternative study[10] conducted in 2013 put together 30 men to determine the effects of three different breakfasts on different occasions. The breakfasts in question were a croissant with an orange, milk, toast, and eggs on toast.
While the other two breakfasts led to significant levels of weight gain, the egg breakfast[10] led to higher satiety and a lower desire to eat more and more. The men who ate eggs for breakfast also ate between 270 to 470 calories during a heavy lunch and a hearty dinner compared to the other two breakfasts.
Final Thoughts
Do away with the thought that egg yolks are not suitable for your weight loss diet. On the contrary, what you need to do is to plan your diet accordingly. Rather than having plenty of egg whites every morning, strive to cook whole eggs instead.
When you steer clear from eating egg whites only, you boost your chances of gaining dietary cholesterol, which is effective in terms of quick protein absorption. This will, in turn, keep you satisfied for a more extended period. The amino acid in egg yolk is also great for muscle development and bodybuilding exercises.
+ 10 sources
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- Calcagno, M., Kahleova, H., Jihad Alwarith, Burgess, N., Flores, R., Busta, M.L. and Barnard, N.D. (2019). The Thermic Effect of Food: A Review. [online] 38(6), pp.547–551. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2018.1552544.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/748967/nutrients.
- Leidy, H.J., Clifton, P.M., Astrup, A., Wycherley, T.P., Westerterp-Plantenga, M.S., Luscombe-Marsh, N.D., Woods, S.C. and Mattes, R.D. (2015). The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. [online] 101(6), pp.1320S1329S. doi:https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084038.
- Bonnema, A., Altschwager, D.K., Thomas, W. and Slavin, J.L. (2016). The effects of the combination of egg and fiber on appetite, glycemic response and food intake in normal weight adults – a randomized, controlled, crossover trial. [online] 67(6), pp.723–731. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2016.1196654.
- Keogh, J.B. and Clifton, P.M. (2020). Energy Intake and Satiety Responses of Eggs for Breakfast in Overweight and Obese Adults—A Crossover Study. [online] 17(15), pp.5583–5583. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155583.
- Kuang, H., Yang, F., Zhang, Y., Wang, T. and Chen, G. (2018). The Impact of Egg Nutrient Composition and Its Consumption on Cholesterol Homeostasis. [online] 2018, pp.1–22. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6303810.
- Chamila Nimalaratne, Daise Lopes-Lutz, Schieber, A. and Wu, J. (2011). Free aromatic amino acids in egg yolk show antioxidant properties. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228094954_Free_aromatic_amino_acids_in_egg_yolk_show_antioxidant_properties.
- Ratliff, J., Leite, J.O., Ryan de Ogburn, Puglisi, M.J., VanHeest, J.L. and Maria Luz Fernandez (2010). Consuming eggs for breakfast influences plasma glucose and ghrelin, while reducing energy intake during the next 24 hours in adult men. [online] 30(2), pp.96–103. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2010.01.002.
- Leidy, H.J., Gwin, J.A., Roenfeldt, C.A., Zino, A.Z. and Shafer, R.S. (2016). Evaluating the Intervention-Based Evidence Surrounding the Causal Role of Breakfast on Markers of Weight Management, with Specific Focus on Breakfast Composition and Size. [online] 7(3), pp.563S575S. doi:https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.010223.
- Fallaize, R., Wilson, L.C., Gray, J., Morgan, L.M. and Griffin, B.A. (2012). Variation in the effects of three different breakfast meals on subjective satiety and subsequent intake of energy at lunch and evening meal. [online] 52(4), pp.1353–1359. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-012-0444-z.
Written by:
Lisandra Fields, Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
