Oatmeal vs. eggs for weight loss: which is a better breakfast? These popular breakfast options are so heavily debated and many wonder which is the better breakfast option for your health and weight loss.
Choosing the right breakfast can be huge when it comes to your weight loss goals. And the choice between oatmeal vs eggs is a common question I get as a Registered Dietitian. People often wonder which is the better pick.
Oatmeal and eggs both offer different nutrients and health benefits, and knowing their effects on weight loss can help you make a smart morning choice. So, let’s keep it simple and discuss the evidence behind oatmeal versus eggs and breaking down their nutritional aspects to help you decide which options best suits your weight loss goals.
The most common breakfasts I show on my social media platforms are oatmeal and eggs. And anytime I show oatmeal or eating 3-4 eggs for breakfast, I get heated comments about the risks of each. So today I want to break it all down and give you my professional and evidence-based information regarding the two.
Oatmeal vs Eggs For Weight Loss
Weight Loss 101
You’ve probably heard that the most important meal of the day is your breakfast. But is it actually true? Well it depends! If you wake up and you are simply not hungry and you prefer not to eat breakfast food the minute you wake up, then you can go ahead and eat when you are hungry.
Having said that, if you are waiting until you are overly hungry and then you start reaching for anything and everything to satisfy your hunger then it would be a good idea to plan for healthy breakfast earlier in the morning. This is because waiting until you are overly hungry makes it much harder for you to make a healthy choice.
Let’s quickly talk about having a healthy weight loss and if you want more information, make sure to check out these blog posts next:
- The Best Macros for Weight Loss Female: Healthy Fat Loss
- How to Stay Consistent With Your Weight Loss Goals
Having a healthy lifestyle is all about incorporating habits that promote your overall well-being. To achieve this, you need to get some sort of physical activity, eat a variety of healthy, wholesome, nutritious foods, be mindful of your daily calorie intake, manage your stress and sleep well.
I do not think you need to count calories to lose weight. In fact, I think it is better to stay away from that all together.
Dietitian-Approved Method For Weight Loss Without Calorie Counting:
1. Choose a high quality protein at every meal. Aim for at least 30 g protein per meal. This should be about 1/4 of your plate.
2. Choose a high-fiber carb. One source of carbs per meal is enough. This should be about 1/4 of your plate.
3. Half plate non-starchy vegetables.
3. Add a healthy fat for satiety. Usually the healthy fat is already incorporated into the food like olive oil during cooking or fats from the food itself. You can also sprinkle some extra healthy fats onto your foods like hemp seeds or chia seeds.
This is it. Do not overcomplicate it. It really is what you eat on a consistent basis versus nitpicking one food at one meal that you had one week.
So even if you want to have something that may be less nutritious, that is fine and it will NOT ruin your progress. Eat it, enjoy it and move on. As long as you are mostly eating healthy, not overeating, getting up and working out (focus on strength training), managing stress and getting 7-9 hours of sleep, that weight will most likely come off!
Of course there are factors that can make weight loss harder such as hormonal imbalance and age, so if this is you make sure to check out these blog posts:
- How to Lose Weight With Hormone Imbalance
- Hormones and Weight Loss
- Best Hormone-Balancing Supplements for Weight Loss
Optimizing Overall Health with Breakfast Choices
When it comes to selecting a breakfast that contributes positively to your overall health, certain factors play a crucial role. Of course deciding on eating an overall healthier diet helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, body weight, and heart health.
Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health:
Certain breakfast options, like those rich in high-quality protein and healthy fats, have a positive impact on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease risk. Eggs, for instance, provide essential nutrients that support heart health.
Body Weight Management:
Making mindful breakfast choices is linked to maintaining a healthy body weight. High-protein foods, including options like eggs, have been shown to support weight management. This is because it helps promote a feeling of fullness and reduce overall calorie intake.
Easy Breakfast Choices:
Choose an easy breakfast doesn’t mean compromising on health. Quick and nutritious options include a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit like a cup of raspberries. It can also be a simple egg-based meal can be convenient and beneficial for your overall health.
Dietary Fat and Glycemic Index:
Pay attention to the type of fat in your breakfast choices. Healthy fats, such as those found in eggs and Greek yogurt, contribute to overall health. Additionally, considering the glycemic index of your breakfast can help manage blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Are Eggs Healthy for Breakfast? And How Many Can I Eat?
Starting with eggs, they are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Each egg has around 7 grams of protein per large egg. Protein is essential for maintaining muscle mass, and a protein-rich breakfast can keep you feeling full for longer, potentially reducing overall food intake throughout the day.
Eggs also have fewer calories per serving than oatmeal which, at the end of the day, if you want to lose weight, you need to be in a caloric deficit. The one thing I would say with having just 2 eggs for breakfast is that it is probably not going to fill you up.
You need to aim for at least 30 grams of protein for breakfast if you want to feel full and eat less throughout the day. We will get back to this point in a minute.
You also do not need to eat just the egg whites, you can eat whole eggs! The egg yolks are rich in healthy fats and they provide essential nutrients like vitamin D.
How many eggs can I safely eat?
Despite concerns about dietary cholesterol, more recent research found that dietary cholesterol had little influence on heart disease, blood levels of total and “bad” LDL cholesterol. Instead, it is dietary saturated fats that raise these blood levels.
This is because most of the cholesterol in your body does not come from your diet, but is made by your liver. And saturated fat in the diet can cause your liver to make lots of cholesterol.
Eggs are relatively low in calories and saturated fat, and rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are good for the eyes. Eggs are also rich in choline, which helps supports the brain and nervous system.
While recent studies don’t really have a consistent answer with how many eggs a person can eat, it is shown that an average healthy person can eat up to seven large eggs per week.
The Best Egg Breakfast
My personal favorite way to eat eggs for breakfast are either hard-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs drenched in hot sauce.
As I mentioned earlier, you do need to aim for 30 grams of protein for breakfast so two eggs is not going to be enough to fill you up. You can either add a protein shake or smoothie on the side or I prefer to eat 3-4 eggs at a time but just a few times a week.
The Best Oatmeal for Breakfast
On the other hand, oatmeal is known for its high dietary fiber content. This is because of the whole grains, particularly soluble fiber. A cup of oatmeal can provide several grams of fiber. This helps you feel full and can help regulate blood sugar levels.
The slower digestion of soluble fiber also has a beneficial effect on the glycemic index of the meal. This has been shown to help in weight management. And of course an oatmeal-based breakfast, such as overnight oats or steel cut oatmeal, offer a variety of textures and flavors, making them a delicious breakfast choice.
Now with oatmeal, you need to be mindful of what you are adding in and particularly which kind of oatmeal you are choosing. This is important if you want to make this a heart-healthy oatmeal breakfast that is also suitable for weight loss.
If your goal is weight loss, you should try to find oatmeals that have high protein content like Bob’s Red Mill Protein Oats or you can use steel-cut oats which are processed differently. This helps them retain more of their protein and nutrients. Stay away from instant oatmeal because they are the most processed and most of their nutrients are stripped away.
You also need to be careful not to add many different toppings to your oatmeal. Stick to fiber from fresh fruit, adding a source of healthy fat like peanut butter or chia seeds, and even adding a serving of protein powder which is a great way to make oatmeal a high-protein breakfast. You can add some sort of sweetener like maple syrup, but just be careful of how much you are using because oatmeal is already a higher carb food and it is important to balance that out with healthy fats and protein!
Bottom Line: oatmeal vs eggs for weight loss
In conclusion, like most things in the nutrition world, the answer to the question: oatmeal vs eggs for weight loss. Which is a better breakfast? The answer is both!
My Personal Preference
As a dietitian, I really believe that it is essential to choose a breakfast that is both nutritious and filling and one you actually enjoy. Both oatmeal and eggs are excellent breakfast options, but which one is better for weight loss?
The first thing I will say is that both can be great options. Personally, I eat 3-4 eggs for breakfast a few times a week and I also have oatmeal a few times a week. For the oatmeal, I always add benefits to it such as collagen powder, chia seeds, nut butter, top with fresh fruit and cinnamon. Adding healthy fats and protein makes oatmeal a little more filling and beneficial and it helps reduce the spike and crash that you would normally get with a carb-heavy breakfast.
What does the science say?
The evidence-based answer to the question: oatmeal vs eggs for weight loss, the research suggests that eggs are a better choice for weight loss than oatmeal. Eggs are rich in protein and low in calories, which makes them an ideal food for weight loss. On the other hand, oatmeal is high in carbohydrates and can have a higher glycemic index if it is not balanced with healthy fats and protein. Having a carb-heavy breakfast tends to spike blood glucose levels, which can make it harder to lose weight because of insulin spikes.
In terms of overall health, both oatmeal and eggs have their benefits. Oatmeal is rich in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eggs are a great source of protein, which helps build and repair muscle tissue, and they also contain choline, which is essential for brain health.
If you are looking to add some variety to your breakfast, Greek yogurt is a great addition in your breakfast rotation. Greek yogurt is high in protein and is so versatile making it an excellent addition to any high-protein diet. It is also a great source of calcium, which is essential for maintaining healthy bones.
It is very important to switch it up and keep your diet diverse. This helps you get more nutrients in and it is very beneficial for gut health.
The bottom line is that both oatmeal and eggs are excellent breakfast options and both can be a great option for weight loss. One meal does not dictate whether or not you lose weight. Healthy eating is just one part of an overall healthy weight loss and lifestyle.