Do Eggs Help Suppress Hunger?

Do eggs help suppress hunger?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

The evidence from multiple studies suggests that eggs can help suppress hunger and increase satiety, making them a valuable component of a diet aimed at weight management and obesity prevention. The high protein content and the ability to influence appetite-regulating hormones are key factors contributing to the satiety effects of eggs. However, more long-term studies are needed to fully understand the impact of regular egg consumption on hunger and weight management.

The role of diet in managing hunger and satiety is a critical area of research, especially in the context of weight management and obesity prevention. Eggs, a nutrient-dense food, have been the subject of numerous studies investigating their potential to suppress hunger and enhance satiety. This article reviews the evidence from various research studies to determine whether eggs can help suppress hunger.

Satiety and Hunger Suppression

Several studies have demonstrated that eggs can significantly increase feelings of fullness and reduce subsequent food intake. For instance, a study comparing egg-based breakfasts to cereal or croissant-based breakfasts found that eggs increased satiety and reduced energy intake at subsequent meals3. Similarly, another study showed that consuming two eggs per day, as compared to an oatmeal breakfast, decreased plasma ghrelin levels, a hormone associated with hunger, while maintaining the LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio4.

Mechanisms of Action

The mechanisms by which eggs enhance satiety are multifaceted. Eggs are a rich source of high-quality protein, which has been shown to increase the secretion of anorexigenic hormones such as peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), both of which play a role in reducing appetite8. Additionally, the high protein content in eggs can lead to a prolonged feeling of fullness, thereby reducing overall caloric intake10.

Comparative Studies

Comparative studies have consistently shown that egg-based breakfasts are more effective at suppressing hunger than other types of breakfasts. For example, a study involving overweight and obese adults found that an egg breakfast induced greater satiety and significantly reduced short-term food intake compared to a bagel-based breakfast5. Another study in overweight Australian adults reported that energy intake following an egg breakfast was significantly reduced compared to a cereal breakfast, with participants feeling less hungry and more satisfied6.

Long-Term Effects

While short-term studies provide compelling evidence for the hunger-suppressing effects of eggs, long-term studies are needed to confirm these findings. Some evidence suggests that high egg consumption may result in increased weight loss and improved metabolic syndrome indexes, although results have been inconsistent8. Future research should focus on the long-term effects of egg consumption on appetite control and weight management.

Special Populations

The effects of egg consumption on satiety have also been studied in specific populations such as children and adolescents. One study found that while egg consumption led to increased serum PYY levels in adolescents, it did not significantly alter short-term food intake in children or adolescents9. This suggests that the response to egg consumption may vary across different age groups.

Do eggs help suppress hunger?

Cornelie Nienaber-Rousseau has answered Likely

An expert from North-West University in Nutrition

When battling with hunger pangs associated with weight loss diets, high-protein foods/meals are known to reduce appetite and increased fullness (satiety) when compared to foods/meals containing no protein or less protein (Pasiakos, 2015; Halkjær et al., 2011). Several studies have indicated that eggs, because they are protein-rich, can suppress hunger and this can be important for those struggling with weight loss or maintenance to manage hunger (Keogh & Clifton, 2020; Missimer et al., 2017; Vander Wal et al., 2005; Vander Wal et al., 2008; Zhu et al., 2019). Vander Wal et al. (2005) conducted a randomized crossover design study, to test whether a breakfast consisting of eggs, in comparison to an equal-weight and energy containing bagel-based breakfast, would induce greater satiety, reduce perceived cravings, and reduce subsequent energy intake. Their findings showed that during the pre-lunch period, overweight/obese women had greater feelings of satiety after the egg breakfast. Also the women not only consumed less energy for lunch, but for the next 36 hours thereafter. Vander Wal and co-workers (2008) also studied the satiety effect of an egg-based breakfast when compared to a bagel breakfast on weight loss in overweight/obese men and women while following a weight loss diet. They found that after a 5 weeks those consuming an egg breakfast had a 61% greater reduction in body mass index (BMI), a 34% greater reduction in waist circumference, and a 65% greater reduction in weight loss than those ingesting a bagel breakfast. Similarly, researchers reported after executing a cross-over study involving 50 overweight and obese adults that energy intake following an egg breakfast was lower and the hunger sensation less (data obtained from both self-report and plasma ghrelin concentrations) than after consuming a cereal (oatmeal) breakfast that provided the same amount of energy (Missimer et al., 2017). More recently, Zhu et al. (2019) showed that an egg breakfast can increase fullness and reduce lunch time energy intake; however, when the egg containing breakfast is higher in protein quality, but equaled in protein quantity it increases fullness, but does not reduce energy intake at the following meal.

Based on the evidence form the experimental studies, the incorporation of eggs into breakfast may be more effective than cereal or grain-based breakfasts to increase feeling full for longer and to limit short term energy consumption. However, the potential role of a routine egg breakfast in producing a sustained energy deficit and consequent weight loss, should be determined by additional research. Furthermore, studies (systematic reviews with meta-analysis) evaluating the quality of the research on this topic, summarizing the results of the studies and investigating potential publication bias remain to be done.

Do eggs help suppress hunger?

Maria-Luz Fernandez has answered Near Certain

An expert from University of Connecticut in Nutrition, Clinical Research, Diabetes

I conducted a study in which we used two types of breakfast, one was egg-based and the other bagel-based, the number of KCal were the same. This was a crossover design so each subject was his own control. Subjects had lower levels of ghrelin (appetite hormone) after the egg breakfas and they at 400 less kcal in the next 24 hours after the egg breakfast. This is an agreement with other studies that have published that eggs decrease appetite and they are a good altervative for weight loss interventions

Do eggs help suppress hunger?

Peter Clifton has answered Likely

An expert from University of South Australia in Endocrinology

There is good evidence of increased satiety from protein in general and eggs in particular. However in a calorie-controlled diet the additive effect of protein is not seen and weight loss is the same after 3 months (Eg Keogh and Clifton 2020). Eggs however may be helpful for people with poor appetite control but this has not been proven yet and eggs have not been shown in a free-living situation with no dietary advice to have any effect on weight despite their increased satiety compared with a carbohydrate breakfast.

Do eggs help suppress hunger?

Cathy Jen has answered Likely

An expert from Wayne State University in Nutrition, Obesity, Diabetes

Yes, egg consumption will suppress hunger and energy intake in the following meal and reduce the daily total energy intake. Many studies, including our own, showed this effect.

Vander Wal JS, Marth JM, Khosla P, Jen KL, Dhurandhar NV. J AM Coll Nutr, 2005, 24:510-515.

Vander Wal JS, Gupta A, Khosla P, Khurandhar NV, Int J Obes, 2008, 332:1545-1551.

Fallaize R, WIlson L, Gray J, MOrgan LM, Griffin BA. Eur J Nutr, 2013, 52:1353-1359.

Keogh JB, Clifton PM. INt J Envorn Res Public Health. 2020, 17:5583.