The Healthy Snack That Can Help You Lose Weight (And It's Only One Ingredient)

We all like to snack now and then. But not all snacks curb your appetite or help you lose weight like hard-boiled eggs can.

Eggs in general have found their place in modern dieters' meal plans thanks to their nutritional makeup. According to MedicalNewsToday, a single egg contains under 80 calories while packing six grams of powerful protein. And protein has a reputation for helping people stay fuller for longer periods. In one 2014 study published in Missouri Medicine, researchers found evidence to support consumption of protein as a weight management tool.

Yet protein isn't the only nutrient in an egg that makes it a smarter snacking choice than others that aren't as nutrient-dense. Eggs contain fat, too. Fat can further sate you when you're feeling peckish, leaving you less likely to feel hungry before your next meal. As a nutrition expert interviewed for a Healthline article notes, fats remain in the stomach and gut long after other nutrients have vanished. Thus, the fat from a single egg — in combination with protein — may provide enough satiety to keep cravings at bay.

Still not sure if you should be reaching for a hard-boiled egg as a snack? If staying at a healthy weight is one of your goals, you owe it to yourself to learn more about the weight loss potential connected with eating eggs.

Eating protein has been linked to losing weight. As a 2012 study from The Journal of Nutrition concluded, regular daily intake of protein tempered individuals' tendencies to keep gaining weight. Similarly, a 2014 study from Nutrition & Metabolism noted that, when ingested in moderation, high-protein foods could improve satiety as well as boost the body's metabolism by increasing the "thermic effect." 

What is the thermic effect? As described by a 2019 review from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the thermic effect is a metabolic change that occurs after eating a meal. Essentially, as the body converts food into energy, the body's normal metabolic propensity can start to increase. Though consumption of fat doesn't seem to produce a significant thermic effect, consumption of protein does.

Is protein the only reason to pick up a carton of eggs during your next healthy grocery shopping trip? Nope. Another possible weight-control benefit of eggs is their vitamin D content. Healthline explains that a single egg can provide about 5% of the average adult's recommended daily value of vitamin D. And guess what vitamin D has been connected with? Body fat loss. 

In a 2019 clinical randomized trial published in Clinical Endocrinology, obese study participants who upped their vitamin D intake saw a decrease in their body fat and mass. Therefore, bringing more vitamin D into your snacking by way of a couple of hard-boiled eggs could give you a delicious way to stay fit.

Convinced that having a handful of hard-boiled eggs in your fridge makes sense? Terrific. Now, you just need to know when to dive into your next egg, according to science. And if you want to eat eggs based on what studies recommend, consider making a hard-boiled egg (or two) your first snack of the day.

In a 2012 study from the European Journal of Nutrition, men who ate egg-heavy breakfasts ate less throughout the rest of the day than their counterparts who were given carb-heavy, protein-light dishes. As a consequence, the study's authors surmised that eating protein-packed foods first might be a key to staying on a healthy, low-calorie track all day. In other words, eating eggs sooner could ward off the temptation to reach for less nutritious snacks later. Though hard-boiled eggs alone won't make you reach your target weight, they're an appealing and affordable addition to a well-rounded diet.