Can Eating Egg Whites Help You Lose Weight?

Egg whites fill the bill for an ideal weight-loss food. In addition to being low in fat and calories, they're high in protein, which can help you feel full and make you less likely to consume extra calories.

Egg whites can be part of a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and other weight loss-friendly foods.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a large egg white has about 17 calories, no fat, less than 1 gram of carbohydrate, and about 4 grams of protein. In contrast, one whole large egg has about 72 calories, 5 grams of fat, a trace of of carbohydrates and 6 grams of protein.

From a weight-loss standpoint, the white is far lower in calories than a whole egg, so it might promote faster weight loss. However, neither option is very high in calories. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that a food that is low in energy density often has a high water content and low calorie content.

Read more: Are Egg Whites Healthy?

A diet that's higher in protein and low in carbohydrates and total calories may be an effective way to lose weight in the short term. In addition to featuring egg whites, a high-protein diet might include plenty of lean meat, fish, nuts, seeds and low-fat or nonfat dairy products.

A research study published in the_ American Journal of Clinical Nutrition_ found that eating between 25 and 30 grams of protein per meal is a good strategy for weight loss as well as healthy weight maintenance. It can also help to keep you healthy in other ways too, like reducing triglycerides, blood pressure and waist circumference.

Read more: 5 Tips For Eating Protein the Right Way

How might egg whites effectively help with weight loss? The answer has to do with their high protein content. Foods that have high amounts of lean proteins tend to be more satisfying and filling than foods with high carbohydrate or fat counts, so they may curb hunger more successfully and help you consume fewer total calories.

Foods that are high in fiber, such as oatmeal, fruits, vegetables or legumes, have some of the same properties and are also conducive to weight loss. For better variety and more nutrients in your diet, it's a good idea to add high fiber foods along with your egg whites or other high protein foods.

Results of a March 2017 study published in the Journal of Diabetes and Metabolism found that a combination diet that contained fat, protein and fiber, but low amounts of carbohydrates worked best to reduce cravings and promote a feeling of fullness.

Read more: The Best Way to Lose Weight in One Month

Eating a high-protein egg whites diet might help with weight loss, but it doesn't come with a guarantee of working for everyone. It's important to find a diet pattern that works for you and your lifestyle because you'll be more likely to stick with it in the long run.

There is only one proven strategy for losing weight, and that's to burn more calories than you consume, ideally through increased physical activity and reducing the number of calories you eat every day. Before you adopt any weight-loss plan or use an egg whites diet as a way to help you slim down, speak with your health care provider.