Egg Nutritional Facts

Eggs and Cholesterol | Health Benefits of Eggs | Nutrients in Chicken Eggs
Nutrients in Other Types of Eggs | Comparing Different Types of Eggs

Eggs and Cholesterol

The average large chicken egg has about 213 milligrams of cholesterol, which is all contained within the yolk. Medical studies have shown that excess cholesterol in the diet can raise the level of cholesterol in the blood, causing major health problems such as heart disease. Since the body produces all of the cholesterol it needs for normal functions, eating large quantities of cholesterol rich foods may be unhealthy. It is recommended that the intake of cholesterol in one day should not exceed 300 milligrams. With one egg yolk containing 213 milligrams, it is clear that the recommended daily maximum can be quite easy to exceed.

There are a number of ways in which the dietary guidelines for cholesterol can be followed, yet permit eggs to remain a part of the diet. Consider the following points:

When multiple eggs are desired for an omelet or scrambled eggs, use two egg whites for every one yolk. This will decrease the amount of cholesterol per serving.
Eliminate all of the egg yolks from egg dishes, such as omelets, scrambled eggs, or egg bakes. Since egg whites contain no cholesterol, none of the cholesterol in the resulting dish will be from the eggs.
Use egg substitutes for omelets and scrambled egg dishes. A number of products are available that incorporate egg whites with non-egg ingredients that mimic the look and taste of the egg yolks.
Staying within the dietary guideline of 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day may be difficult to do for many of us; however, it might be easier to stay within the recommended weekly total of no more than 2100 milligrams. If you exceed the daily total on one or two days of the week, you can cut down or eliminate cholesterol on other days of the week in order to remain under the recommended weekly level.
Even if you average one egg per day, you can still eat very well and remain under the 300 milligram recommended daily maximum of cholesterol. This can be achieved simply by eating more fruits, vegetables, and grains and cutting back on fatty meats, butter, oils, and junk foods.

Health Benefits of Eggs

In spite of the high cholesterol content of eggs, there are several health benefits relating to the inclusion of eggs in the dietâ€”in limited quantities, of course. Consider the following points:

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals. The quality of the protein found in eggs is of a higher quality than the protein found in meat and fish.
Eggs are low in calories. One large egg has only about 75 calories.
The high protein egg white averages only about 17 calories and has no fat or cholesterol, which makes it an excellent diet food.
There are nutrients in eggs that are beneficial in preventing macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly.
Eggs are rich in choline, which is helpful in fetal brain development. Choline levels in women drop during pregnancy, so it may be beneficial for women to consume eggs during pregnancy.

Nutrients in Chicken Eggs

Chicken Eggs Based on One Large Egg (50 g)
Component	Whole Egg		Egg White		Egg Yolk
Component	Quantity	% DV	Quantity	% DV	Quantity	% DV
Calories	75	4%	17	1%	58	3%
Total Fat	5.0 g	8%	0.0 g	0%	5.0 g	8%
Saturated	1.6 g	8%	0.0 g	0%	1.6 g	8%
Monounsaturated	2.0 g		0.0 g		2.0 g
Polyunsaturated	0.7 g		0.0 g		0.7 g
Cholesterol	213 mg	70%	0.0 g	0%	213 mg	70%
Carbohydrate	0.65 g	<1 %	0.34 g	<1 %	0.31	0 %
Protein	6.7 g	13%	4.0 g	7%	2.7	5%
Vitamins
Vitamin A	244 IU	5%	0.0 IU	0 %	244 IU	5%
Vitamin C	0.0 mg	0%	0.0 mg	0%	0.0 mg	0%
Vitamin D	18.3 IU	4%	0.0 mg	0%	18.3 IU	4%
Vitamin E	0.5 mg	2%	0.0 mg	0%	0.5 mg	2%
Choline	216 mg		0.45 mg		215.5 mg
Thiamin	0.031 mg	2%	0.002 mg	<1%	0.029 mg	2%
Riboflavin	0.254 mg	14%	0.151 mg	9%	0.106 mg	5%
Niacin	0.037 mg	<1%	0.035 mg	<1%	0.002 mg	<1%
Vitamin B6	0.1 mg	3%	0.0 mg	0%	0.1 mg	3%
Folate	23.5 mcg	6%	1.0 mcg	<1%	22.5 mcg	6%
Vitamin B12	0.6 mcg	11%	0.07 mcg	<1%	0.53 mcg	10%
Pantothenic Acid	0.627 mg	7%	0.040 mg	<1%	0.587 mg	7%
Vitamin K	0.1 mcg		0.0 mcg		0.1 mcg
Minerals
Calcium	26.5 mg	3%	2.0 mg	<1%	23.5 mg	3%
Iron	0.6 mg	3%	0.01 mg	<1%	0.59 mg	3%
Magnesium	5.0 mg	2%	4.0 mg	2%	1.0 mg	<1%
Phosphorus	89.0 mg	9%	4.0 mg	<1%	85.0 mg	9%
Potassium	67.0 mg	2%	54.0 mg	2%	13.0 mg	<1%
Sodium	63.0 mg	3%	55.0 mg	2%	8.0 mg	<1%
Zinc	0.6 mg	4%	0.0 mg	0%	0.6 mg	4%
Copper	0.007 mg	3 %	0.002 mg	<1%	0.005 mg	2%
Manganese	0.012 mg		0.001 mg		0.011 mg
Selenium	15.8 mcg		7.0 mcg		8.8 mcg

Nutrients in Other Types of Eggs

Component	Quail Egg (9 g)		Duck Egg (70 g)
Component	Quantity	% DV	Quantity	% DV
Calories	14	1%	130	6%
Total Fat	1.0 g	2%	9.6 g	15%
Saturated	0.3 g	2%	2.6 g	13%
Monounsaturated	0.4 g		4.6 g
Polyunsaturated	0.1 g		0.9 g
Cholesterol	76 mg	25%	619 mg	206%
Carbohydrate	0.04 g	<1%	1.0 g	<1%
Protein	1.2 g	2%	9.0 g	18%
Vitamin A	48.9 IU	1%	472 IU	9%
Vitamin C	0.0 mg	0%	0.0 mg	0%
Calcium	5.8 mg	<1%	44.8 mg	4%
Iron	0.3 mg	2%	2.7 mg	15%
Sodium	12.7 mg	<1%	102 mg	4%

Component	Turkey Egg (79 g)		Goose Egg (144 g)
Component	Quantity	% DV	Quantity	% DV
Calories	135	7%	266	13%
Total Fat	9.4 g	14%	19.1 g	29%
Saturated	2.9 g	14%	5.2 g	26%
Monounsaturated	3.6 g		8.3 g
Polyunsaturated	1.3 g		2.4 g
Cholesterol	737 mg	246%	1227 mg	409%
Carbohydrate	0.9 g	<1%	1.9 g	1%
Protein	10.8 g	22%	20.0 g	40 %
Vitamin A	438 IU	9%	936 IU	19%
Vitamin C	0.0 mg	0%	0.0 mg	0%
Calcium	78.2 mg	8%	86.4 mg	9%
Iron	3.2 mg	18%	5.2 mg	29%
Sodium	119 mg	5%	199 mg	8%

Comparing Different Types of Eggs

It may be difficult to compare the nutrients in various types of eggs because of the differences in their sizes. This table compares different types of whole eggs based on an equal portion, which is 100 grams.
Component	Quail	Chicken	Duck	Turkey	Goose
Calories	158	147	185	171	185
Total Fat	11.1 g	9.9 g	13.8 g	11.9 g	13.3 g
Saturated Fat	3.6 g	3.1 g	3.7 g	3.6 g	3.6 g
Cholesterol	844 mg	423 mg	884 mg	933 mg	852 mg
Carbohydrate	0.4 g	0.8 g	1.5 g	1.2 g	1.3 g
Protein	13.1 g	12.6 g	12.8 g	13.7 g	13.9 g
Vitamin A	543 IU	487 IU	674 IU	554 IU	650 IU
Calcium	64 mg	53 mg	64 mg	99 mg	60 mg
Iron	3.6 mg	1.8 mg	3.8 mg	4.1 mg	3.6 mg
Sodium	141 mg	140 mg	146 mg	151 mg	138 mg