Boiled eggs: the benefits and reasons to make them a healthy snack

At six in the evening, when hunger strikes and a hand automatically reaches for a packet of cookies, a boiled egg can offer a more filling alternative. It is inexpensive, easy to prepare and provides high-quality protein, a nutrient that can help control appetite between meals.

For years, people were advised to limit eggs because of their cholesterol content. Much nutrition guidance has since qualified that recommendation. Among healthy people, regular egg consumption is not clearly linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, because dietary cholesterol has limited influence on the cholesterol circulating in the blood.

For much of the population, an egg between meals adds complete protein with little sugar and no added fat. Its protein content may support steadier energy and reduce the urge to snack. A 2005 trial published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that overweight participants who ate eggs for breakfast instead of a bun with the same number of calories consumed less food during the rest of the day.

The egg's protein activates satiety signals and slows stomach emptying. Both the white and yolk contain all the essential amino acids in suitable proportions, including leucine, which is linked to muscle repair and maintenance. One medium egg contains about six grams of complete protein, a consideration that becomes more relevant after age 50, when maintaining muscle mass becomes harder.

Boiling also avoids the extra fat used in frying. Eggs can be paired with whole-grain bread, vegetables or fruit, while fiber-rich foods such as carrot sticks or tomatoes may prolong fullness. A practical approach is to boil half a dozen for about 10 minutes, cool them under running water and keep them in their shells in the refrigerator for up to a week.