Eating 6 eggs a day can have both benefits and downsides for your health. Eggs are a nutritious food, but consuming too many may increase cholesterol levels or lead to other issues. This article examines the research on eating 6 eggs daily.
Nutrition in Eggs
Eggs are highly nutritious. One large boiled egg contains (1):
- 77 calories
- 6 grams of protein
- 5 grams of fat
- 1.6 grams of saturated fat
- 186 mg of cholesterol
- Trace amounts of carbohydrate
- Vitamins A, D, E, B6, B12, and K
- Folate, pantothenic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc
- Antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin
Since eggs provide all nine essential amino acids, they are considered a complete protein source. Their protein quality is so high that scientists often use eggs as the standard for measuring the protein quality of other foods (2).
Egg yolks are also one of the best food sources of choline, an essential nutrient for brain and liver health (3).
Overall, eggs provide impressive amounts of vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants in few calories. Eating whole eggs is linked to improved cholesterol levels and increased nutrient intake compared to eating just egg whites (4).
Benefits of Eating 6 Eggs a Day
Here are some of the top benefits associated with eating 6 eggs per day:
High Protein Intake
Since eggs are so rich in high quality protein, eating 6 per day would provide around 36 grams. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight or 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men (5).
While protein needs vary by individual, eating 6 eggs would help many people meet their daily protein requirements, which is important for building muscle, strength, and bone density (6, 7).
Increased Fullness and Weight Loss
Several studies show that eating eggs for breakfast increases feelings of fullness and reduces calorie intake at subsequent meals (8).
One study in overweight or obese participants found that eating eggs rather than a bagel for breakfast increased feelings of fullness and resulted in eating fewer calories over 36 hours (9).
Additionally, research shows that eating eggs may promote weight loss, compared to eating bagels. A study in 152 overweight or obese adults found eating eggs instead of bagels for breakfast increased weight loss and reduced body mass index over an 8-week period (10).
The high protein content of eggs likely explains these beneficial effects on fullness and weight loss.
Enhanced Brain Function
Eggs are one of the best dietary sources of choline, a nutrient that plays an important role in brain development and function (3).
Adequate choline intake is linked to improved memory, mood, and brain health, as well as a lower risk of neurological disorders like dementia (11).
One whole egg provides around 25% of a person’s daily choline needs. Eating 6 eggs would provide 150% of the recommended daily intake for choline (3).
Increased Muscle Mass
Eggs provide one of the best sources of leucine, an amino acid associated with stimulating muscle protein synthesis. Consuming adequate protein and leucine is important for building and maintaining muscle mass, especially as you get older (12).
One study gave elderly participants a meal containing egg protein or a placebo after completing resistance exercise. The egg meal led to increased muscle mass and strength compared to the placebo (13).
Eating 6 eggs daily would provide a substantial amount of leucine and protein to optimize muscle protein synthesis.
Lower Risk of Heart Disease
Despite their cholesterol content, research shows that eggs may actually reduce heart disease risk in some people.
A massive analysis in over 215,000 people found no association between eating 1 whole egg per day and heart disease or stroke risk (14).
Additionally, a review of 17 studies with a total of 263,938 people found no association between egg intake and heart disease or stroke (15).
Researchers believe that the high amount of nutrients found in eggs may help protect heart health.
Increased Vitamin and Antioxidant Intake
Eggs provide good amounts of several important vitamins and antioxidants, including:
- Vitamin A: 20% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin B12: 47% of the DV
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 15% of the DV
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 14% of the DV
- Selenium: 22% of the DV
- Lutein and zeaxanthin: 10–50% of the DV
Eating nutrient dense foods like eggs is associated with better health outcomes and reduced disease risk (16). Getting adequate amounts of these vitamins and antioxidants may provide added benefits.
Downsides of Eating 6 Eggs a Day
While eggs are very healthy and nutritious, there are some potential downsides to eating 6 per day.
High Calorie Intake
One potential issue with consuming 6 eggs daily is the high calorie intake. Each large egg contains around 72 calories, so 6 eggs would provide 432 calories (1).
While not excessive, this intake would need to be accounted for so as not to exceed your daily calorie needs. People at risk of weight gain might need to reduce calories elsewhere in their diet to compensate.
Increase in Cholesterol Intake
Dietary cholesterol was previously thought to raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk. However, research shows that dietary cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol for most people (17).
Still, some people are considered hyper-responders and experience an increase in LDL cholesterol from consuming cholesterol-rich foods. Additionally, some people are advised to limit dietary cholesterol intake due to underlying health conditions.
Since each egg contains around 186 mg of cholesterol, eating 6 per day would provide over 1,100 mg of cholesterol. For most people this is not a concern, but it’s something to consider.
May Not be Suitable for Everyone
While generally healthy, eggs may cause problems for some people who have specific health conditions or food sensitivities.
For example, people with heart disease or diabetes may need to limit egg intake to 2–4 per week to keep cholesterol levels under control (18, 19).
Additionally, egg allergies are one of the most common food allergies among children. People with egg allergies need to avoid eggs completely (20).
In these cases, eating 6 eggs per day would likely exacerbate symptoms.
High Intake of Lecithin and Choline
Eggs are one of the richest dietary sources of the nutrients choline and lecithin. Choline is important for brain and liver health, while lecithin may benefit heart health due to its role in fat metabolism.
However, there are some concerns that getting too much choline may have negative effects for some people. Studies show that super high choline intake over 3,500 mg per day may increase the risk of cancer, heart disease, and mortality (21).
One egg contains around 115–130 mg of choline. Six eggs would provide 690–780 mg of choline, or up to 20% of the upper limit (21).
Additionally, super high intake of lecithin from foods like egg yolks could potentially lead to minor side effects like diarrhea, stomach pain, and bloating.
Overall, eating 6 eggs per day is unlikely to cause problems due to choline or lecithin alone. However, it provides a very high daily intake that could potentially impact health in some people.
Potential for Negative Effects
In some people, regularly eating 6 eggs may negatively impact blood cholesterol levels and heart health.
People who are more sensitive to dietary cholesterol or have certain underlying conditions like diabetes are often advised to limit total egg intake to 2–4 per week (18, 19).
Additionally, one study in 17 people who were insulin resistant found that consuming an egg-based breakfast for 3 months increased inflammation compared to eating an oat-based breakfast (22).
For most healthy people, eating 6 eggs per day can be done without negative effects on heart health or inflammation. However, some people need to be cautious with high intakes.
How Many Eggs Should You Eat Per Day?
Most healthy people can safely eat 6 eggs or more daily as part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, you may need to modify your intake based on your current health and diet.
Here are some guidelines for how many eggs to eat per day based on your health:
If you are healthy:
6 eggs or more per day is unlikely to negatively impact your health. Make sure to account for the extra calories by reducing your intake of other foods.
If you have diabetes or heart disease:
Limit your egg intake to 2–4 eggs per week as part of a healthy diet. Monitor blood cholesterol levels regularly.
If you have an egg allergy:
Avoid eggs completely and choosealternative protein sources.
The Bottom Line
Eating 6 eggs daily can be safe and healthy as part of a well-balanced diet. Potential benefits include increased protein, vitamin, and antioxidant intake, as well as enhanced weight loss, brain function, and muscle mass.
However, some people should limit their egg intake to 2–4 per week to keep cholesterol levels in check. Additionally, discuss your dietary changes with your healthcare provider to ensure proper management of any underlying health conditions.
In most cases, 6 eggs per day can be safely consumed as part of a varied diet. But it’s still a good idea to check with a healthcare professional before making dramatic changes to your diet.
