When You Eat Too Many Eggs, This Is What Happens

While eggs are a nutritious food option in many ways, as with a lot of foods, you can definitely get too much of a good thing. Eggs are packed with protein and critical micronutrients, but they do also contain a lot of fat and cholesterol. So what happens if you eat too many eggs, and how many eggs can you eat?

The research is mixed: Many studies have found positive impacts from eating between one and three eggs on a daily basis, including an increase in good cholesterol. They also have been found to increase people's feelings of satiety — feeling full — which has led to sustained weight loss. However, there have been several large-scale studies done in the last two decades that found eating a large amount of eggs may increase a person's risk for type 2 diabetes, and if a person has type 2 diabetes, egg consumption can increase their risk of heart disease.  Note that because every individual is different, some people may do well with eating multiple eggs per day, while others will have problems with cholesterol or other issues — and of course, some people are actually allergic to eggs (via Healthline). 

Don't give up your eggs, because eating them in moderation can be perfectly nutritious — and serve as a savory substitute for classic sugar-laden breakfasts. "While recent studies still don't offer a consistent answer, the average healthy person likely suffers no harm from eating up to seven eggs per week," Howard LeWine, M.D., wrote in Harvard Health Publishing. "In fact, eggs are a nutritious food."

You can also add more egg whites, since the majority of the saturated fat that's linked to these adverse effects comes from the saturated fat found in the yolk. And if making a scramble with a whole egg, an egg white, and plenty of vegetables is your idea of a great breakfast, that's an excellent way to add more vegetables to your daily intake, and a healthier option than other high-fat breakfast like a croissant with cheese. You should also be on the lookout for eggs that sneak their way into the ingredient lists of certain other foods, like salads with hard boiled eggs, French toast, and most baked goods, if you're aiming to keep your consumption under one egg per day (via Today.com).