What popular breakfast food may help you peel away pounds? Clue: You have to crack 'em.

Yep. Be they poached, scrambled, or sunny-side up, eggs may be a real friend to dieters. Here's why.

Eggs Beat Bagels
In a study, people on a low-calorie weight loss plan who ate two scrambled eggs and unbuttered toast (with jelly!) for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than dieters who had a bagel with cream cheese for their morning meal. How do eggs help? They may simply keep people feeling satisfied longer than carbs do -- and eating less later on. (Worried about the cholesterol in eggs? Find out where things stand in the ongoing debate.)

Remember the Big Picture
Keep in mind that this study included a low-calorie diet. That means eating eggs for breakfast helps only if you're watching what and how much you eat the rest of the day, too. Here are some tips for making the pound-blasting path easier:

• Outsmart your appetite with these 10 tips.
• Beware of these diet buzzwords.
• Learn why two bodies are better than one when it comes to dieting.

Plain eggs sound boring? Try Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon.

Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Wal, J. V. et al., 2008 International Journal of Obesity 2008 Aug 5.