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Food Therapy

Egg and Tuna Diet: 2 Natural Foods for Weight Loss

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As the awareness about fitness and healthy life has evolved, there is considerable public interest in different types of diets. Most of these diets emphasize the use of certain types of natural foods while prohibiting the use of other edibles. 

The egg and tuna diet has also gained popularity, mainly because of its simplicity and ease of cooking. Both are highly nutritious and are one of the prime protein sources gifted by the nature.  

After whey protein, the egg is the best source of high-quality protein. Each of its component, white and yolk, contain approximately 3 grams of protein. Yolk being rich in fatty acids and cholesterol, should be taken in limited quantity, while one can use a lot more egg whites. Therefore, to avoid unnecessary cholesterol, one must choose egg white while considering the egg and tuna diet.

With just 100 calories per 100 grams, tuna is a relatively low-calorie, low-fat fish. Nevertheless, it is a source of good fats as it contains a good amount of omega-3 fatty acids. With this nutritional balance, it is no wonder that stars and influencers swear by the egg and tuna diet, which is said to help shed a few pounds quickly. How is this supposed to work and is it healthy? For this let’s dig into the egg and tuna diet a bit.

Lose Weight: What Is the Egg and Tuna Diet?

The “egg and tuna diet” was initially developed by bodybuilder Dave Draper. It is a low-calorie, high-protein meal plan that only allows water, egg whites, and tuna to be consumed for the first three days.

After that, other low-fat foods such as fruit, poultry, and vegetables can be slowly added to the egg and tuna diet. This should shed the pounds quickly and bad eating habits should be discarded in the long term.

Egg and Tuna Diet for Fitness
Egg and Tuna Diet for Fitness.

How does the “Egg and Tuna Diet” Work?

Would you like to try this? Then for three days only egg whites, tuna, and water are on the menu. Of course, the tuna must not be pickled in oil. Similarly, egg whites should not be fried. This would be counterproductive for the egg and tuna diet.

Spices, mayo, or vinegar are also taboo for the egg and tuna diet. How much tuna can you put on your plate every day? You need 1.5 grams of egg and tuna protein for every kilogram of body weight. For the average American woman who weighs 70 kilograms, that is almost 400 grams of tuna per day.

Add to your diet, at least two liters of water and a colorful cocktail of dietary supplements (multi-vitamins, creatine, etc.), the other two main components of the egg and tuna diet. After three days, leafy greens and other non-starchy vegetables are allowed. Fruit, low-fat dairy products, and chicken are also allowed again from now on. Follow this plan until you reach your dream weight. Depending on the initial situation, this can take days or weeks.

Can You Lose Weight on Egg and Tuna Diet for Real? 

400 grams of tuna have just 400 calories. On the other hand, 100 grams of egg whites have just around 50 calories. So, if you only eat 400 grams of tuna, 100 grams of egg whites (from around 3-4 eggs), and water a day for three days, you have taken in a maximum of 1,250 calories over that time. For comparison: Nutrition experts put the calorie requirement of adult women at around 1,900 calories per day. Consequently, you will lose weight as a result. 

Restrictive diets such as the “egg and tuna diet” are known for quickly achieving weight loss success, but they also tend to have the dreaded yo-yo effect.

Is Losing Weight with Egg and Tuna Diet Healthy? 

It should be obvious that this cannot be healthy. The “egg and tuna diet” is a crash diet. Experts warn that these fast diets can slow down your metabolism and lead to muscle wasting. According to studies, the body has an even harder time burning calories when it is regularly deprived of food. In addition, restrictive diets often cause cravings, which not only makes it more difficult to lose weight but in the worst case can also cause diseases such as eating disorders.

Quite apart from that, tuna contains significant amounts of mercury, which is why the EU has already issued a warning for pregnant and breastfeeding women and children about the consumption of tuna fish.

Accordingly, the consensus among the scientific community, population groups should not eat more than two servings of tuna per week. 

In addition to these health aspects, there is something else that speaks against this crash diet: Many tuna species are threatened with extinction due to the high demand. The tuna diet is not particularly sustainable either. Therefore: Better to keep your hands off it!

Egg and Tuna Diet Recipes.
Egg and Tuna Diet Recipes.

Egg and Tuna Diet: Recipes

Stuffed tuna eggs are popular party snacks and can be used for egg and tuna diet as well. But they can also do a lot as a sophisticated salad side dish. The nutritional values ??of tuna speak for themselves: 100g of tuna has a protein content of 24g. In addition, tuna contains 53g of water and 0g of carbohydrates, making tuna a popular food not only for the stated “egg and tuna diet” but also in the low-carb diet regimen. Below is a recipe for Stuffed Tuna Eggs.

Low-Carb Recipe for Stuffed Tuna Eggs

Calories: 630.1 kCal, Serves: 4

Ingredients

· 8 eggs hard boiled

· 140 grams of tuna

· 240 grams of mayonnaise

· Onion very finely chopped, 1 tbsp per egg

· Very finely chopped celery, 1 tbsp for each egg

· Salt

· Pepper

Instructions

1. Halve the boiled eggs, remove the yolk and mix with the remaining ingredients to form a creamy mass.

2. Then fill the egg halves with the mixture. 

3. Enjoy the snack.

Salad With Tuna and Egg

Calories: 450 kCal, Serves: 4

Ingredients

· 170 grams of Lettuce

· 50 grams of Cherry Tomatoes

· 1 teaspoon Mustard Sauce

· 40 grams of Onions

· 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

· 30 grams Olive, green, without stone

· 1 Whole Egg

· 150 grams of Tuna 

· 1 teaspoon Virgin Olive Oil

· 1 teaspoon Water

· ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Hard boil the egg for 10 minutes, drain and leave to cool.

2. Wash lettuce and tomatoes and drain well. Cut the lettuce into strips and halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the onion and slice the olives into rings.

3. Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and olives on a plate. Peel the egg, quarter lengthways, and place it on the salad. Drain the tuna and pour over the salad.

4. For the dressing, mix mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and water. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the salad.

What are the main pillars of the egg and tuna diet?

As the name suggests, eggs and tuna fish are the main constituents of this diet.

Is the egg and tuna diet effective for weight loss?

It is a crash diet that is effective for rapid weight loss but can’t be sustained for long due to the reasons stated in the article.

 
But should we use egg and tuna in our daily diet regimen?

Yes, both egg and tuna are healthy natural food. Both contain ample amounts of protein. In addition, tuna fish is rich in good fats. But as per recommendations, tuna fish should not be used 2-3 times a week. 

Egg and Tuna Salad.
Egg and Tuna Salad.

Summary

No doubt, both egg, and tuna are healthy choices. But one can not and should not pursue an egg and tuna diet for long. The body needs a balanced diet and a constant need of all the macronutrients and micronutrients every day. Restricting yourself to just a couple of natural foods won’t help to achieve long-term weight loss goals. Therefore, one should either use an egg and tuna diet for a short time or just should add egg and tuna to a balanced regimen of diet.

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