Start your day with eggs to promote weight loss and increase feelings of fullness

If you are trying to lose some weight but find yourself wanting to snack on sugary foods between meals, chances are you aren't eating enough satiating foods at mealtimes. Eating nutritiously rich foods can make it easier for you to control your energy intake without feeling hungry all the time.

Learning how to eat healthily doesn't happen overnight, and different diets suit different people. If you are devoting more time to your kitchen and cooking healthier this year, perhaps using one of the best air fryers included in our guide, then you might want to refine your egg prepping skills as well.

A study published in the Nutrition Research journal discovered that egg-based breakfasts are effective at reducing hunger and promoting feelings of satiety for longer. 

The research was conducted as a crossover design and required 21 men aged between 20 to 70 years old to consume two isoenergetic (equal in energy value) test breakfasts in a randomized and balanced order, with one week in between. 

The first breakfast was egg-based and included three scrambled eggs with one and a half slices of white toast. The other breakfast was bagel-based and consisted of one white bagel, 1/2 tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese, and 6oz of low-fat yogurt. Both breakfasts had similar caloric values and provided an estimated 1657 KJ of energy.

Afterward, the scientists monitored the participants' food intake and revealed that the egg breakfast significantly suppressed insulin, glucose, and ghrelin levels compared to the bagel breakfast.

In addition to these hormone reactions, the participants experienced reduced hunger and increased satisfaction after eating eggs for breakfast. This was highlighted when the egg breakfast eaters ate less than the bagel eaters at a lunch buffet provided to the participants.

The study authors concluded, "These results suggest that foods with high-protein and high-fat content and low in simple carbohydrates may be incorporated into the diet to decrease energy intake by reducing hunger. The egg was able to increase satiety, possibly by more effectively sustaining insulin concentration." 

As long as you can eat them, eggs are a pretty time-efficient and versatile breakfast to make in the morning. Whether you prefer them scrambled, boiled, or poached you should try out having two or three in the morning with a slice of seeded bread for extra energy.

If you choose not to eat eggs or follow a plant-based diet then scrambled tofu is a good alternative and will also provide you with a good source of protein.

Joanna Dase, fitness expert at Curves.eu also recommends eating eggs if you are trying to stick to any fitness goals this year. She told Fit&Well you should aim to eat foods that are high in protein and calcium such as eggs with oats and yogurt with fruit. 

"Don’t skip breakfast and eat regular meals to create a routine. The best thing for your body is to eat a small meal about two hours before working out," she added.

You can always top up your protein intake with a best protein powder for weight loss from our roundup, this way you are ensuring your body receives this important macronutrient.