A study from Pennington Biomedical Center in Louisiana shows that eating eggs for breakfast can be a potent way to feel more satisfied during the day.
Researchers divided women into two groups. One group ate eggs for breakfast- along with a little toast and jam- the other ate a bagel with cream cheese and yogurt. The calorie count for the two breakfasts was the same. The researchers then meticulously recorded what the subjects ate for the rest of the day. The subjects also completed questionnaires which were designed to measure how satisfied they were.
The results were stunning. The women eating the eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied during the day and spontaneously ate significantly less food at their next meal. “During the pre-lunch period, participants had greater feelings of satiety after the egg breakfast, and consumed significantly less energy (calories) during lunch”, said lead researcher Dr. Jillon Vander Wal. And the appetite suppressing effect did not end with lunch. Overall, during the next 36 hours, the women who ate eggs for breakfast spontaneously reduced their calorie intake by 15%. And every one of them reported that their cravings for other types of food had diminished.
These results should not be too surprising to those following the principles of the Atkins Approach. Each egg contains about 6 grams of protein, which not only helps stabilize blood sugar (reducing one of the causes for cravings) but also produces greater satiety (feelings of fullness) than a typical breakfast of highly processed carbohydrates.
Egg yolks are one of the most significant sources of lutein and xenazanthin, two superstar nutrients that have been shown to have a major impact on eye health so be sure to have the whole egg not just the whites. In fact, research reported in the Journal of Nutrition suggested that lutein from eggs is more readily absorbed into the bloodstream than lutein from other sources because of components in the egg’s yolk, such as lecithin. Low lutein intake is implicated as a risk factor in age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among older Americans.
Another benefit of eggs is that they contain choline, an important nutrient that converts into acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is necessary for proper brain function and memory. And choline has recently been shown to be helpful in lowering levels of harmful homocysteine, a risk factor for inflammation and heart disease.
Finally, whole eggs contain only about 4.5 grams of fat, and almost half of that is the heart healthy monounsaturated variety, the same kind found in olive oil. Some eggs from free-range chickens are also high in omega-3 fats, the same kind found in fish and flax. And the cholesterol in eggs has long been shown to have an insignificant effect on blood cholesterol.
Can you imagine the demand for a drug without side effects that provided natural appetite suppression, stable blood sugar, protein, good fat, and nutrients that support eye and brain health? You can get all of that at your local grocery: look no further than the perfect egg.
