‘I’m a GP and I eat 56 eggs a week – here’s why’

A 32-year-old GP swears by eating 56 eggs a week to stay in trim shape and good health.

Dr Sermed Mezher, who is also a health influencer with 294,000 followers on TikTok, says his egg-heavy diet provides the energy needed to plough through his intense gym sessions and gruelling long shifts.

The doctor only eats one yolk a day, however – preferring to pack a breakfast omelette with eight egg whites, which he claims provide a hefty dose of vitamins with a lower fat content.

He fell into the habit of having the nutrient-dense breakfast while trying to increase his body muscle a few years ago and now swears by it to support his hectic home and work life.

“It sounds like a lot of eggs … [but] I researched the exact combination of protein and carbohydrates I should be eating and worked out I needed to include eight eggs a day to hit my protein requirements,” Dr Mezher tells The Telegraph.

His one egg yolk a day provides a small serving of vitamins and cholesterol, the GP adds, but sticking to whites for his seven other daily servings helps to increase his protein intake without overdoing it on the fat.

After protein-loading on the egg whites – which contain more than 50g, roughly the daily recommended protein intake for men – Dr Mezher heads to gym every morning at around 5.30am.

He keeps the macronutrients coming throughout the day, however, with a protein shake and chicken bruschetta for lunch, followed by beef salad or salmon soup with potatoes for dinner.

The 32-year-old uses whey protein isolate in his shake because it has four more grams of protein than normal whey, he says, which helps him to maintain muscle without gaining or losing mass.

However, the medical practitioner warns that his diet isn’t suitable for everyone – and has been carefully tailored to his specific needs and schedule.

“Because I train quite hard in the gym, I need a high protein intake to support my exercise routines and gym goals,” he said.

He added: “I don’t think most people would need as much protein.”

The British Heart Foundation says that two eggs make up one portion, and recommends eating them regularly as part of a healthy diet for protein as well as to obtain vitamins A, D, B and B12.

While NHS Guidance doesn’t provide a limit on how many eggs should be eaten a day, it does warn that eating too much of any one food could risk sacrificing other essential nutrients. People with high cholesterol or kidney issues could also be adversely affected by an egg-heavy diet.