Could A Person Really Eat 5 Dozen Eggs Like Gaston?

Eggs have long been a symbol of breakfast time. Aside from being easy to toss together in the morning alongside toast, eggs are one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world, affirms Healthline. They're so nutritious that people call them the "perfect protein," and Healthline says they're "pretty much the perfect food."

As beneficial as eggs are, the calories do add up. One egg has about 72 calories according to MEL Magazine, but that never seemed to slow down Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast." In his signature song, the hated fiancé of Belle boasts about devouring four dozen eggs each morning as a child and even upping the intake to five dozen once he became an adult. Considering that research suggests that people can very safely consume up to three eggs a day, 60 eggs make for quite the daily intake. By MEL's calculations, that means Gaston guzzles 4,320 calories in eggs alone. ​​

Even for extreme egg supporters, Gaston's diet would be overkill. The problem isn't just the number of eggs he's consuming, but how it limits room for other foods in his day-to-day diet. As dietician Rachael Hartley shares with MEL Magazine, "Too much of anything isn't helpful for health." Those 60 eggs would monopolize his stomach, making it nearly impossible to consume anything else. That means Gaston was missing out on nutrients his body needed on a daily basis such as vitamin C and carbohydrates. But clearly, he didn't get the memo.

In addition, egg yolks are naturally high in cholesterol. It's worth noting that according to multiple studies, the cholesterol contained in eggs doesn't appear to adversely affect overall cholesterol levels in people. The Mayo Clinic says that consuming as mana as seven eggs a week shouldn't tighten the risk of heart disease for most healthy people. 

Despite obvious drawbacks, Gaston's dedication to eggs in his melody wasn't completely off-kilter for someone looking to bulk up. With the goal of being a large man, a "barge" as he sings, eggs are definitely a good food to reach for. Eggs stimulate muscle development, according to Healthline. The Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was known to eat three fried egg sandwiches and a five-egg omelet as part of a larger breakfast (via Olympics.com). Still, that's far less than the antagonist of "Beauty and the Beast." Unless someone ate eggs and only eggs, this diet seems about as unrealistic as a talking teapot.