The Egg and Chicken Diet: What You Need to Know
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The Egg and Chicken Diet: What You Need to Know

The Egg and Chicken Diet: What You Need to Know
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Updated on August 14, 2025
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This eating plan is considered a fad diet. Fad diets often promote quick weight loss that is unsustainable and may severely restrict what you eat. They may be harmful and generally do not have long-lasting health benefits. Talk to your healthcare provider before making any major changes to how you eat.

The egg and chicken diet, often called the boiled egg diet, is a low-calorie, low-carb diet based on the idea that eating eggs regularly can keep you full and help you to maintain muscle while you lose weight.

There are many versions of this diet with different meal requirements, but the general guideline is that you can eat eggs, lean protein, and nonstarchy vegetables while maintaining a calorie deficit. Some versions also allow grapefruit.

There are currently no studies supporting the effectiveness of the egg and chicken diet specifically for long-term weight loss, sustained muscle tone, or improved health overall.

How Does the Egg and Chicken Diet Claim to Work?

The egg and chicken diet claims to cause rapid weight loss because it is high protein and low carb.

While there have been no studies conducted on the egg and chicken diet, or any restrictive egg diet for that matter, many protein-focused diets are built on research showing that eating a lot of protein may increase weight loss.

It’s important to note that these studies were not conducted on hyper-restrictive fad diets, and research shows that these fad diets are not effective or healthy in the long term.

What Can You Eat on the Egg and Chicken Diet?

While there isn’t a singular version of this diet, outside of eggs as the primary source of protein, the plan usually allows for lean meat options like chicken, low calorie fruits like grapefruit, and nonstarchy vegetables.

Foods to Include

  • Eggs Some versions of the diet limit preparation to boiling, but all suggest cooking your eggs without butter or oil.
  • Lean Protein These also depend on the version, but often include chicken, fish, or lean cuts of beef.
  • Nonstarchy Vegetables Such as leafy greens or broccoli.
  • Fruit In some versions, certain fruit options are on the diet but, in more restrictive versions, only grapefruit is included.

Foods to Avoid

  • Fruits Fruit intake is limited in all versions. Some include limited options for grapefruit or other lower-calorie fruit options, while others suggest no fruit at all.
  • Starchy Foods This includes foods like sweet potatoes, grains, pastas, and breads.
  • Dairy
  • Sugar
  • Processed or Fried Foods
  • Alcohol

Potential Benefits of the Egg and Chicken Diet (and Why They May Not Last)

The central claim of most versions of the egg diet is that they help you lose weight rapidly. But there is little scientific evidence supporting the long-term effectiveness of most popular fad diets, including high-protein, low-carb diets like Atkins, which have some similar features to the egg diet.

However, eggs are a great source of protein, as well as micronutrients such as choline and vitamin A.

 There have been a few studies focused on the benefits of eggs generally, suggesting that, while the egg and chicken diet might not be a healthy dieting option, you may benefit from incorporating eggs into your meals.
For example, a case-control study published in 2022 found that incorporating eggs into your diet has been shown to aid in cardiovascular disease prevention.

Potential Risks of the Egg and Chicken Diet

Even with the isolated positive benefits that eggs offer, the egg and chicken diet poses various health risks, including:

  • Nutrient Deficiencies Fad dieting can lead to deficiencies in essential vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients.

  • Unsustainable Weight Loss Rapid weight loss is often not sustainable and can lead to weight cycling.

  • Negative Impact on Metabolism Severe calorie restriction or unbalanced eating is unsafe and can negatively impact your metabolism.

  • Potential for Disordered Eating Restrictive diets can contribute to unhealthy relationships with food and body image that last beyond the completion of the diet.
  • Lack of Scientific Evidence As stated above, there are no studies confirming the effectiveness of the egg and chicken diet.

Is the Egg Diet Right for You?

To maintain good health longterm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a diverse and well-balanced diet that consists of all food groups.

Experts largely agree that restrictive food plans such as the egg diet may not be the healthiest option for weight loss or weight management.

Before beginning any weight loss program, consult with your doctor.

The Takeaway

  • The chicken and egg diet is considered a fad diet and, while it could lead to rapid weight loss, it has not been proven safe or sustainable.
  • Severely limiting your nutrient intake can have both short and long-term health effects.
  • Eggs and other lean protein sources are great when paired with a variety of other options.
  • You should check with your healthcare provider before drastically changing your diet.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Faidon Magkos F. The role of dietary protein in obesity. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. August 1, 2020.
  2. Tahreem A et al. Fad Diets: Facts and Fiction. Frontiers Nutrition. July 5, 2022.
  3. FoodData Central Food Details. U.S. Department of Agriculture. December 16, 2019.
  4. Pan L et al. Association of egg consumption, metabolic markers, and risk of cardiovascular diseases: A nested case-control study. Epidemiology and Global Health. May 24, 2022.
  5. Jaime K et al. Risks Associated With Excessive Weight Loss. StatPearls. February 29, 2024.
  6. Tahreem A et al. Fad Diets: Facts and Fiction. Frontiers Nutrition. July 5, 2022.
  7. LeWine HE. Calorie Counting Made Easy. Harvard Health. April 3, 2024.
  8. Most J et al. Impact of calorie restriction on energy metabolism in humans. Experimental Gerontology Journal. April 25, 2022.
  9. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Agriculture. December 2020.
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Julie Cunningham, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Julie Cunningham has been a registered dietitian for more than 25 years. She is a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and an international board-certified lactation consultant. She has served as the president of the Foothills Chapter of the North Carolina Dietetics Association (NCDA) and has been a member of the executive board of the NCDA.

Ms. Cunningham received a bachelor's degree from Appalachian State University in North Carolina. She subsequently completed a master's degree in public health nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ms. Cunningham has worked in women's and children's health, cardiology, and diabetes. She is the author of 30 Days to Tame Type 2 Diabetes, and she has also written for Abbott Nutrition News, Edgepark Medical Health Insights, diaTribe, Babylist, and others.

A resident of beautiful western North Carolina, Cunningham is an avid reader who enjoys yoga, travel, and all things chocolate.

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Karen Gardner is a professional writer and editor based in Maryland. She has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Maryland. She is an experienced Health Writer and Editor. She has also chronicled her personal experiences in endurance sports, including marathon running and long-distance cycling.

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