The 3-day low carb egg diet, sometimes called, the raw diet, is a very restrictive diet, which involves only a short span of consuming mainly raw eggs (from which butter and cheese are extracted), butter, and cheese (from which cheese and butter are not extractable). As the name implies, this diet typically takes up between 3 days and 5 days (depending on which form you consume the eggs – from raw to cooked). Because of its restrictive nature, this diet shouldn’t be extended, because it could lead to some dangerous health issues.
There are many different versions of the raw egg diet. Some people eat one or two raw eggs, others don’t eat any eggs at all. Another variation of this diet has people consuming only egg whites. So basically, you can find people eating boiled, poached, fried, scrambled, or just plain cooked eggs. Of the different versions of this diet, those who eat boiled eggs have the greatest problems with this form of diet.
The rapid weight loss component of the egg diet is caused by the high levels of dietary fiber that the person ingests. It is composed of inorganic chemical compounds that act as “fasteners” for the egg whites. When these compounds attach themselves to the proteins in the egg, they immediately bind together, resulting in the egg whites becoming very tightly compacted. This results in very little room for the nutrients contained within the egg whites to pass through the body as well as to hasten the rate at which the body needs to burn off food.
This results in an immediate increase in the rate at which the body burns off calories. In many ways, this makes the egg diet quite similar to the Atkins Diet. Atkins promotes the consumption of foods containing mostly carbohydrates and a significantly reduced amount of the protein, while the Egg Diet promotes the consumption of large amounts of proteins but with very low levels of carbs. Because the proteins in eggs are very high in choline, however, some nutritionists believe that those with high blood choline levels should severely limit their intake of eggs.
Other studies have shown that some egg-eating participants have abnormally high blood levels of “good cholesterol.” Because of this, some nutritionists believe that these people should also avoid consuming “empty” calories from sugary, calorie-laden foods like soda pop and other “empty” calories found in fast food, baked treats, and other snack foods. The zero-calorie beverages that are sold commercially as replacements for eggs contain a very small amount of chlorine, so any negative effects on good cholesterol levels would be offset by the low levels of bad choline these drinks contain. Still, many nutritionists recommend that people who are trying to lose weight should limit their consumption of these beverages, at least until they have reached their desired weight.
Another food that some Egg Dieters might eliminate from their diets is lean meats, especially red meats. Because the egg yolks are filled with cholesterol and saturated fat, nutritionists recommend that people who are trying to lose weight do not include them in their diets. On the other hand, many nutritionists recommend that people who want to eat lean meats and/or reduce their intake of fatty foods in their diet (as is the case with people on the Atkins or South Beach diets) should incorporate olive oil into their daily eating plans. Some nutritionists even suggest that eating olive oil is better than eating meat, because the fat in the olive oil contains much less calories than that found in meats. Some nutritionists even recommend that vegetarians include dairy products (cheese, cream, yogurt, milk, etc.)
One might think that this would make the egg diet a bad diet for heart patients, but the truth is that eating eggs every meal can actually help heart health. Eating eggs is particularly important for women during their menstrual cycle. During this time, most women need extra iron to help compensate for hormonal changes caused by the menstrual cycle. Men need extra testosterone to stay active. When they consume large amounts of eggs, they can make their body work that much harder. To help men stay active, they should eat several eggs every day.
The one meal a day rule that the egg diet advocates is not hard to follow, if you are consistent. Of course, some people find it hard to be consistent. If you find it hard to be consistent with your eating, adjust your breakfasts according to what works best for you. For example, if you eat a big breakfast in the morning, you can eat something like a baked chicken or some toast with some fruit included in the morning, or you can have a small bowl of cereal. It really depends on your comfort level. The important thing is that if you follow the rules set forth by the egg diet, you will soon be on your way to effective weight loss!