If you’re seeking to reap the rewards of a ketogenic diet, then it’s crucial to adhere to its guidelines. There’s no two ways about it – without sticking to the daily macro requirements, you won’t be able to achieve a state of ketosis. Keto is a pretty strict low-carb diet, so it’s natural for people to wonder how much wiggle room they have, or if kitchen staples like eggs can be included in your diet.
But if you’ve done some research, you should know that the answer to the latter question is clear – after all, eggs are a great source of protein without being high in carbs. But how many eggs can you eat? Or how many eggs should you eat? Is there such a thing as too many eggs on a keto diet?
The good news is that you can effectively eat as many eggs as you want on a ketogenic diet, as long as they fit your overall calorie and macronutrient requirements. Eggs have a fantastic macro profile nearly identical to the ‘ideal’ keto ratio. In fact, eggs are such a staple of a keto diet that it’s almost a recommendation to include them frequently.
Keen to find out why eggs are so great for a low carb diet? Let’s take a look at the nutritional profile of the humble egg.
Are eggs keto friendly?
Yes, absolutely!
In fact, they aren’t just keto-friendly; they’re arguably even essential to this kind of diet! While it’s possible to eat a low carb diet without including eggs, there’s a reason eggs feature in so many keto recipes.
Eggs are already a great all-around food by themselves, no matter what kind of diet you’re on—they’re not only affordable and widely available, but they’re also packed with nutrients, versatile, and delicious. But if you’re aiming for a low carb, higher fat diet, then eggs quickly become a superfood.
The reason for this is that eggs have an excellent macronutrient split that fits very well into a ketogenic diet. Keto eating requires you to minimize your carbohydrate intake and pump up your fat consumption instead. The goal is to achieve a state of ketosis (hence the name), where your body will look to burn fat for energy instead of the carbohydrates it usually relies on.
A typical keto diet will require you to split your calories into something like 60-75% fat, 25-35% protein, and 5-10% carbohydrates. Most keto eating plans will fall within this range of values. So, for example, a 2000 calorie diet will need around 135-165 grams of fat, 125-175 grams of protein, and 20-50 grams of carbohydrates. Protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, while fat provides 9 calories per gram.
Now, let’s examine the macronutrients typically found in a large-sized egg:
Around 70 calories
Almost 5 grams of fat
Less than 1 gram of carbohydrates
More than 6 grams of protein
As we can see, an egg’s nutritional profile matches very well with a ketogenic diet’s prescribed macronutrient ratio: a roughly even amount of grams of protein and fat and, most importantly, minimal carbohydrates. One egg has a tiny amount of carbs, just 0.6g from the egg yolk and an even measlier 0.2g from the egg whites.
In addition, eggs also contribute several key minerals to your diet: calcium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Eggs are also full of vitamins, including vitamin A, B-12, D, E, and K. Keto or not, eggs are simply just really good for you.
But if you’re aiming for a low carb, high fat diet with moderate protein levels, eggs are a perfect fit.
How many eggs can I eat on a keto diet?
Really, on a keto diet, you can eat as many eggs as you can stand! Again, just be sure to keep your calorie count and macronutrient ratio in check, particularly if weight loss is a motivating factor. Remember, regardless of the kind of diet you’re employing, a consistent calorie deficit is still the main key to achieving weight loss.
In fact, some people who are both avid keto dieters and egg lovers report eating up to 30 eggs in a day! That would total around 2100 calories with 150g of fat, 180g of protein, and less than 20g of carbs. Fairly close to the recommended numbers above, isn’t it?
But realistically, 30 eggs a day is a radical number for the vast majority of people. This means eating eggs and only eggs for the entire day – possible, but definitely a challenge. The more important lesson we can extract is that eggs are excellent for a ketogenic diet. However, if you want to include more eggs in your daily diet, a rough goal of three eggs per day (whether alone or in other keto-friendly meals) is a great place to start.
But what about the cholesterol?
People understandably worry about the 186 grams of cholesterol present in egg yolks. That’s around 60% of the recommended daily intake based on a 2000 calorie diet, and for many years, we’ve been told to keep our egg consumption low to avoid it.
However, countless studies have since proven that the kind of cholesterol present in eggs only increases HDL (the good kind of cholesterol). Very rarely do they increase LDL (or the bad kind of cholesterol) — and when they do, they do so very slightly.
Unless you have specific medical conditions that tightly restrict cholesterol intake, chances are you don’t have to worry about the cholesterol in eggs. Similar to the myth that fat is always bad, it’s something that’s been challenged by most up-and-coming nutritional experts.
So, no, you probably don’t need to take out the egg yolks to avoid the cholesterol. Not only is that the source of most of the egg’s vitamins and minerals, it’s also where you get the generous amount of healthy fats you need for an effective keto diet. They’re the tastiest part of the egg too!
What is a keto egg fast?
A keto egg fast is an aggressive short-term fasting scheme where you restrict your diet primarily to eating eggs, along with butter, cheese or other sources of healthy fats.
It’s become quite popular in some online keto communities, mainly employed to crack through weight loss plateaus or ‘reset’ ketosis after falling off the wagon. The intended result is to achieve weight loss as quickly as possible and return to burning fat again – but like any other intensive fast or restricted diet, it’s a pretty extreme way of eating.
Curious about what an egg fast looks like in practice? Here’s the rules involved in an egg fast:
Eat at least 6 eggs or egg-based meals a day, if not more — ideally free-range pastured eggs.
These meals should not be more than 5 hours apart.
Eat a tablespoon (around 15g) of butter for every egg you eat. (Mayonnaise or other healthy fats can be a substitute).
You can also eat up to 28g of full-fat cheese for every egg.
Have an egg within 30 minutes of waking up.
Refrain from eating anything within 3 hours of going to bed.
Drink a lot of water. Aim for 8 glasses.
A cycle should only last 3-5 days.
Sounds tough? At least low carb condiments are allowed, like hot sauce and mustard – but even low-carb side dishes and typically keto-friendly vegetables are banished on an egg fast. To say the least, it isn’t a strategy for the faint-hearted!
It’s important to note that an egg fast (or any fast, really) can have a significant toll on the body. In other words, this isn’t something to attempt without sound medical advice! Even for those who attempt it, it’s only meant to be a short-term measure.
Personally, I’d rather stick with a more maintainable low-carb diet and integrate a range of healthy low-carb or keto-friendly egg dishes.
Related questions
What are some quick keto breakfast ideas?
If you’re struggling to come up with healthy keto breakfast ideas, here’s a few good ones you can try:
Egg burritos— quick to make and easy to prepare, you only need eggs, avocado, cheese, and some greens, too. Use a low-carb wrap or tortilla, or take things to the next level with protein-packed egg wraps.
Coconut or almond flour pancakes: coconut and almond flour are great low-carb alternatives to regular flour. Making pancakes (or waffles, too!) with them can satisfy your brekkie cravings while keeping your actual carb intake low. Pair with a keto-friendly maple syrup and fresh berries.
Back to the basics—there's absolutely nothing wrong with the classics like fried eggs, poached eggs, and boiled eggs. Add your favourite keto-friendly condiment to keep things interesting!
How many carbs are there in bacon and eggs?
Both bacon and eggs contain a very small amount of carbohydrates. Your average egg will not have more than a single gram of carbs, while 100 grams of cooked bacon will only have around 1.5 grams of carbs. Both are rich in fats and protein instead which naturally makes them go-to foods for keto dieters.
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