Just about everyone has wanted to lose weight at some point in their life. Experts estimate that on any given day, 65% of Americans are concerned with their weight — either trying to lose some or maintain their losses.With all of the different diet options to be found on the internet, ranging from fad diets to fat-burning pills, it can be challenging to know which ones work and which ones don’t give you any results. One such option is the 14-day egg diet menu.
Does The 14-Day Boiled Egg Diet Work?
Eggs are high in protein and include several necessary vitamins,[1] including vitamins A, B, D, E, and K. They also help provide the body with energy. To get all of the benefits, it is important to eat the entire egg. The white contains mostly protein, and the yolk contains the majority of the other nutrients.
Achieving weight loss requires a calorie deficit,[2] but the body still needs a wide range of nutrients to maintain healthy functions. This egg diet plan allows for rapid weight loss[3] — some have reported losing up to 24 pounds over 14 days.
Combining boiled eggs with loads of vegetables along with drinking plenty of water can jump-start weight loss. “Eggs are little nuggets of nutrition, providing protein, choline, vitamin D, lutein, and more,” explains Kelly Plowe, MS, RD.
What Is The Egg Diet?
The Boiled-Egg Diet focuses on eating hard-boiled eggs for a period of two weeks. A person following the program needs to consume a minimum of two eggs per day, but they can be spread out over the course of the day.
While hard-boiled eggs are not the only thing that can be consumed over two weeks, the other options are relatively limited.
14-Day Egg Diet Menu
Here is what one week might look like while following the boiled egg diet plan:
Monday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, spinach salad
- Lunch: Grilled salmon on a bed of greens
- Dinner: Grilled pork chop with steamed broccoli
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
Tuesday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, asparagus spears
- Lunch: Egg salad lettuce wrap
- Dinner: Tomato salad with steamedchicken
- Snack: Sliced strawberries
Wednesday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, watermelon chunks
- Lunch: Baked salmon with mushrooms
- Dinner: Roast beef with roasted cauliflower
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
Thursday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, diced cantaloupe chunks
- Lunch: Steak salad
- Dinner: Mahi Mahi, green beans
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
Friday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, orange slices
- Lunch: Grilled salmon on a bed of greens with a tomato salad
- Dinner: Sauteed pork chop, bok choy
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
Saturday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, ham slice
- Lunch: Grilled chicken and veggie skewers
- Dinner: Ahi tuna, wilted kale
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
Sunday
- Breakfast: Two hard-boiled eggs, cantaloupe chunks
- Lunch: Grilled chicken with a vegetable salad
- Dinner: Baked cod, asparagus spears
- Snack: One hard-boiled egg
What Are The Benefits Of The 14-Day Egg Diet Menu?
While weight loss is one benefit of the boiled egg diet, it isn’t the only benefit. Since the other foods allowed in the program include vegetables, leafy greens, and lean protein, those doing the program also get a lot of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.
The foods that are restricted to the egg diet also eliminate unhealthy eating habits. For instance, processed foods are not allowed, which are linked to obesity[4] and heart disease.[5] Plus, dieters have to cut out sugary beverages, which lowers the risk of insulin resistance[6] and inflammation.[7]
The eggs themselves offer health benefits[8] too. Eating boiled eggs can improve the immune system and boost energy.
Is The 14-Day Boiled Egg Diet Plan Safe?
While eggs are nutrient-dense, the egg diet is quite restrictive, with a limited variety of foods allowed. The restrictions can mean that dieters miss out on some essential dietary needs (like fiber, potassium, and magnesium.) It is not recommended that people follow this diet for longer than the 14-day period.
In addition to missing some nutrients, the egg diet plan is also a very effective low-calorie diet. For some people, the calorie intake may be too low, leading to lowered energy levels or even a decrease in bone density.[9]
Side Effects Of The Egg Diet 2 Weeks
One of the most significant risks of doing this diet plan is suffering from constipation. Eggs have no fiber[10] in them, which is needed for healthy digestion.
Doctors recommend men under the age of 50 consume 38 grams of fiber per day, and women of the same age need around 25 grams. Following the egg diet generally restricts beans and whole grains, meaning dieters do not hit fiber goals.
Another issue to be aware of when doing the egg diet is micronutrient deficiency. Due to the diet being very strict, there are certain vitamins and minerals that you may not be getting enough of while following the plan. It is recommended that you take a multivitamin while following the two-week egg diet plan.
Foods To Avoid And Foods To Eat
The two-week egg diet plan requires strict eating habits.
The following foods are not allowed while doing the plan:
- Alcohol
- Sugar
- Pasta
- Bread
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Fried foods
- Sweets
- Dairy
- Juice
- Soda
The following foods are allowed in the 14-day egg diet menu:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Poultry (no skin)
- Fish
- Lean beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Leafy green vegetables
- Bell peppers
- Zucchini
- Low-carbohydrate fruits
- Water
- Butter
- Mayonnaise
- Coconut oil
Will The 14-Day Boiled Egg Diet Results Last Long?
The Boiled Egg Diet t is a low-calorie and low-carb diet plan. If it is strictly followed, it should be effective and work quickly.
However, it shouldn’t be done long-term because the egg diet is so restrictive and lacks key diet components like fiber, vitamins, and minerals… Thus, the results from the egg diet alone are not sustainable.
Weight loss achieved on the boiled egg diet may be regained once the 14-day plan is completed, especially if the dieter goes back to unhealthy habits like consuming excessive sugar and processed foods.
The egg diet should be considered more of a jumping-off point that incorporates healthy lifestyle changes if weight loss goals are to be maintained. Healthy lifestyle changes include portion control, exercise, avoidance of processed and sugary foods, and a healthy mindset.
Cons Of 14-Day Boiled Egg Diet Plan
As with any restrictive eating plan, there are some cons to doing the Boiled Egg Diet. One of the biggest issues discussed above concerns constipation from the lack of fiber. The other issue is a lack of variety of foods which may lead to vitamin, mineral, and essential fatty acid deficiencies.
However, some people may find that a sudden decrease in their carb intake causes energy levels to bottom out. Plus, the diet is not meant to be an ongoing way of eating which can make the weight loss rebound if healthy eating habits are not adopted after 14 days.
Eggs are a prevalent food allergen, so the diet is not suitable for someone allergic to them.
Due to the food restrictions while on the Boiled Egg Diet, getting the recommended amount of calcium and other essential nutrients may be challenging. Care should be taken to supplement with a multivitamin and calcium to meet your Recommended Daily Intake of nutrients.
Those who suffer from high cholesterol may want to speak with their healthcare professional before starting the egg diet. Those at an increased risk of heart disease are often told to limit[11] egg intake to no more than one per day to keep cholesterol levels in check. This diet may not be appropriate for everyone. Those with heart conditions should choose another diet option.
Other Versions Of The Egg Diet
There are multiple variations of the Boiled Egg Diet that have become popular over the years. There are some that do an egg-only version — only eating hard-boiled eggs and drinking water for the two-week period. This diet is not recommended by most doctors as the dieter does not get many of the nutrients needed to stay healthy.
There is also the egg and grapefruit plan which is the same basic premise as the Boiled Egg Diet. However, half of a grapefruit is added to each meal.
The “medical” egg diet is a plan that allows for one hard-boiled egg and one piece of bread for each meal. Plus, as many fruits and vegetables as desired can be eaten. Beverages are limited to only water and black coffee. No butter or oil can be used to cook the eggs.
There is also a keto[12] version of the egg diet which requires an increase in fat intake. The goal is to put the body into ketosis. In this version, the eggs are eaten with cheese and butter to boost the amount of fat consumed. Olive oil and Medium Chain Triglycerides are increased to up the good fat intake in the keto version.
Conclusion
Before starting any new diet, a medical professional should be consulted — especially for diets that severely limit the types of food that can be eaten. Certain health conditions make doing the two-week egg diet plan a health risk.
However, once approval has been given, the Boiled Egg Diet may help people shed unwanted pounds. As with all diet plans, food restrictions should be done in moderation and only for the indicated number of days.
+ 12 Sources
- Kuang, H., Yang, F., Zhang, Y., Wang, T. and Chen, G. (2018). The Impact of Egg Nutrient Composition and Its Consumption on Cholesterol Homeostasis. Cholesterol, [online] 2018, pp.1–22. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6303810.
- Benton, D. and Young, H. (2017). Reducing Calorie Intake May Not Help You Lose Body Weight. Perspectives on Psychological Science, [online] 12(5), pp.703–714. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617690878.
- JS Vander Wal, Gupta, A., Khosla, P. and Dhurandhar, N.V. (2008). Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. International Journal of Obesity, [online] 32(10), pp.1545–1551. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/ijo.2008.130.
- Poti, J.M., Braga, B.C. and Qin, B. (2017). Ultra-processed Food Intake and Obesity: What Really Matters for Health—Processing or Nutrient Content? Current obesity reports, [online] 6(4), pp.420–431. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-017-0285-4.
- Srour, B., Léopold Fezeu, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Allès, B., Méjean, C., Andrianasolo, R.M., Eloi Chazelas, Mélanie Deschasaux, Serge Hercberg, Galan, P., Carlos Augusto Monteiro, Julia, C. and Touvier, M. (2019). Ultra-processed food intake and risk of cardiovascular disease: prospective cohort study (NutriNet-Santé). BMJ, [online] pp.l1451–l1451. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1451.
- Malik, V., Popkin, B.M., Bray, G.A., Després, J., Willett, W.C. and Hu, F.B. (2010). Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Risk of Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, [online] 33(11), pp.2477–2483. doi:https://doi.org/10.2337/dc10-1079.
- Stina Ramne, Drake, I., Ericson, U., Nilsson, J., Marju Orho-Melander, Gunnar Engström and Sonestedt, E. (2020). Identification of Inflammatory and Disease-Associated Plasma Proteins that Associate with Intake of Added Sugar and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Their Role in Type 2 Diabetes Risk. Nutrients, [online] 12(10), pp.3129–3129. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12103129.
- Kuang, H., Yang, F., Zhang, Y., Wang, T. and Chen, G. (2018). The Impact of Egg Nutrient Composition and Its Consumption on Cholesterol Homeostasis. Cholesterol, [online] 2018, pp.1–22. doi:https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6303810.
- Redman, L.M. (2008). Calorie Restriction and Bone Health in Young, Overweight Individuals. Archives of internal medicine, [online] 168(17), pp.1859–1859. doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.168.17.1859.
- Réhault-Godbert, S., Guyot, N. and Nys, Y. (2019). The Golden Egg: Nutritional Value, Bioactivities, and Emerging Benefits for Human Health. Nutrients, [online] 11(3), pp.684–684. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11030684.
- Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier, Chen, S., Li, Y., Schwab, A.L., Stampfer, M.J., Sacks, F.M., Rosner, B., Willett, W.C., Hu, F.B. and Bhupathiraju, S.N. (2020). Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: three large prospective US cohort studies, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis. BMJ, [online] pp.m513–m513. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m513.
- Batch, J.T., Lamsal, S.P., Adkins, M., Sultan, S. and Ramirez, M.N. (2020). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet: A Review Article. Cureus. [online] doi:https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.9639.