How many calories are in an egg? It is a common question to ask if we want to incorporate this superfood into our diet, right? From scrambling and frying to poaching or boiled, there are many ways to eat this versatile food, and the health benefits of eggs are also incredible. Thanks to the presence of some essential proteins, fats, and vitamins. So, let’s try to understand the calorie content of the eggs depending on the size and cooking method and how beneficial it is for our health.
Calories In An Egg
Egg recipes are not just delicious, but they are incredibly healthy. But have you ever wondered how many calories are in an egg? One large sized-egg contains nearly 72 calories.
Moreover, eggs are high in proteins and comprise vitamins, and minerals like iron, calcium, and potassium are crucial for a healthy diet. The protein in eggs will help you stay full and decrease the tendency to eat snacks between meals. This, in turn, balances your daily calorie intake, which is beneficial for weight loss.
Calorie Breakdown
Calories in one egg depend upon its size and how you cook it. The number of calories in a small-sized egg is about 54 calories, while for an extra-large-sized egg, it will be nearly 80 calories. Likewise, if you eat a large poached egg, the calorie intake will be around 74 calories. And for two delicious scrambled eggs without milk, it is nearly 154 calories. Although you should know, the primary source of calories is the egg yolk, not the egg white. However, egg whites are nutritious also, and adding ingredients like milk, butter, or cheese will increase the calorie content.
How Many Kilojoules In An Egg?
Besides being high in proteins, eggs are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and vitamins like A, D, E, and B12. However, hard-boiled egg calories will differ from fried egg calories. Additionally, 1 egg calorie can change depending on how you cook it. So, you’re looking at different numbers for hard-boiled egg calories, fried egg calories, and egg white calories.
An average large-sized egg comprises approximately 310 KJ or 74 calories. However, you should know the kilojoules in an egg depend on its size. Like, a small egg contains 268 kilojoules, while a large-sized egg will give you around 352 kilojoules. Eggs are among the low-calorie foods that you can consume daily. Eating eggs with other nutrient-dense food helps you stay fit and active by fulfilling your daily calorie requirements.
How Many Calories Are There In An Egg?
There are plenty of ways to eat your delicious egg that also come with lots of health benefits. So, how about knowing how many calories are in an egg? Especially if you are into a balanced diet, Right?
Here is the calorie content of the eggs by size, and the egg nutrition facts:
- Small-sized eggs: 54 calories
- Medium-sized eggs: 63 calories
- Large-sized eggs: 72 calories
- Extra-large sized eggs: 80 calories
The above calorie content is for a plain egg without adding other ingredients. Eating an egg with one tbsp of butter will increase the calorie count by about 174.
Nutritional Facts In An Egg
Do you want to how many calories in an egg? First, you must know it is not just about the calorie count, but more than that. Here are the nutritional facts for a large egg (50 grams).
Egg Nutritional Facts
- Calories: 78
- Carbohydrate: 0.56 g
- Protein: 6.29 g
- Fat: 5.3 g
- Sugars: 0.56 g
- Dietary fibers: 0 g
- Calcium: 25 mg
- Potassium: 63 mg
- Iron: 0.59 mg
- Zinc: 0.53 mg
- Phosphorous: 86 mg
- Folate: 22 mg
- Cholesterol: 186 mg
- Vitamin D: 44 IU(International units)
- Vitamin A: 260 IU
Eggs also contain some carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin. These compounds are high in antioxidants. It is beneficial for protecting our eyes from macular degeneration, cataract, and damage. Another essential compound present in the egg is Selenium. This mineral will help in thyroid production and is beneficial for reproductive health. The presence of vitamin D, naturally not found in other common foods, is useful for immunity, cell growth, and bone formation. But it is important to know most nutrients are found in egg yolk. So, just consuming the white portion will not benefit you at the same level.
How Many Calories In Two Eggs?
Two average-sized eggs contain about 148 calories. It is nearly the same as two apples. But, the calorie count also depends on the size and the cooking methods.
How Many Calories Are In An Egg White?
Egg white is a thick and clear liquid surrounding the yellow yolk portion of the eggs. The egg white calories are lower than the whole egg. The egg white of the large-sized egg contains about 18 calories and 4 grams of protein. The vitamins and minerals are low in egg white.
But the beneficial part of the white portion is it is almost fat and cholesterol free, which is healthy for people who need to control their cholesterol intake and try to lose weight.
How Many Calories In A Boiled Egg?
One large hard-boiled egg white calories are 77. And it contains nearly 6 grams of proteins and 5 grams of essential fats and low amounts of carbohydrates.
Want to know more about egg white calories? The yolk provides vital nutrients, fat, and proteins, but the white part is only for proteins. It contains 9 essential amino acids, which are helpful in bone and muscle growth and for hormone and enzyme production. The consumption of these hard-boiled egg calories improves the concentration of good cholesterol in the blood.
How Many Calories In A Poached Egg?
Poached eggs are not only tasty but nutritious also. It does not require any butter or oil to cook. This soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk and cooked white portion is healthier than fried or scrambled eggs. One poached egg weighing about 60 grams can provide nearly 74 egg white calories.
How Many Calories In A Fried Egg?
How many calories are in an egg? Before asking this, focus on the type, is it fried, boiled, or scrambled? 1 fried egg calorie depends on plenty of factors. Using butter, margarine, or oil for frying will increase the calorie intake in many folds. But there is a solution. You can use some healthy alternatives such as canola, rapeseed, sunflower, or olive oils. Fried egg calories can vary between 85 calories for using spray oil to 120 calories or more for deep frying and not draining it. Moreover, other facts like how processed the oil is, the way you use it, and oil temperature are also crucial to reap the benefits of a fried egg.
How Many Calories In Scrambled Eggs?
Are you searching for the tastiest and easiest egg recipes? Scrambled eggs will be the right choice for you. Although you should know the calorie content will be higher than the poached or boiled ones, as it contains milk and butter.
So, how many calories are in an egg? Two scrambled eggs prepared in the microwave with skimmed milk, salt, and pepper, will provide approximately 170 calories. However, people who follow a strict diet should avoid scrambled eggs. And to keep the calorie content low, use low-fat milk, and a small portion of butter or oil will help.
Calories In Cooked Eggs
There are many healthy and delicious egg recipes, you can easily make at home. Adding some nutrient-dense vegetables with egg makes it a healthy option to include in your diet. So, how many calories are in an egg?
Well, the calorie content of the cooked eggs is based on your cooking method. The boiled egg calories are nearly 77, while fried egg calories vary between 85 to 120 calories.
The protein in eggs is more digestible when cooked properly. Moreover, cooked eggs help the vitamin Biotin easily available for your body to use. Cooking eggs may lower the vitamin and antioxidant content in eggs. So, the best way is to apply a low-calorie cooking method and don’t overcook it.
The Connection Between Eggs And Dieting
If you want to stay healthy and reduce that spare tire, incorporating protein in eggs into your diet will be the right choice. You can include this nutritionally dense food with a calorie count of about 72 calories (large size) with some other veggies as part of your balanced diet. The presence of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and good fats helps you to stay full for a long time.
But, you should know that to reap the benefits of eggs, it is necessary to cook them healthily. Adding excessive butter, oil, cheese, or spices to the dishes will do more harm than good.
Top 5 Health Benefits Of Eating Eggs
After knowing how many calories are in an egg, how about learning some health benefits of this superfood? So, let’s take a closer look at egg nutrition facts and why you must include eggs in your daily meal to stay fit and active.
1. Eggs Are Protein-Rich
Protein is the main building block of our body. The protein in eggs is known as complete proteins for having the essential amino acids our body needs. Protein may help boost strength and is vital to add to your diet, and it also provides support for the growth, recovery, and maintenance of muscle.
Egg nutrition facts– one large size egg contains about 6 grams of proteins.
2. Enhance The Level Of Good Cholesterol
Consuming eggs can help to improve the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), aka “good” cholesterol, in the body. Meals high in saturated and trans fats, such as processed or deep-fried foods, are rich in “bad” cholesterol or Low-density lipoprotein ( LDL), which is related to causing cardiac arrest. While on the other hand, HDL is linked to decreasing the chances of heart attack and other health ailments.
3. Eggs Help In Weight Management
The egg is one of the most beneficial superfoods when your goal is to reduce some weight. This protein-rich food is the perfect option to satisfy your hunger, stay full and reduce your craving for snacks between meals. Moreover, it helps to boost your metabolic activity and keeps you energized for the whole long day. According to some studies, consuming eggs for breakfast is equivalent to other carbs-loaded food. It will reduce calorie intake later in the day and ultimately help to manage your weight.
4. Egg Contains Choline
Eggs are loaded with choline. It is a highly effective nutrient and is not common in many foods. A whole egg contains about 100 mg of choline, naturally produced in the liver. However, the amount is not enough to fulfill the daily dietary requirements. So, it is necessary to consume foods that are high in choline.
The role of choline in your body is endless. It helps in cell functioning and creating signaling molecules in the brain. Requirement for the brain and spinal cord development during pregnancy, and decrease the chances of cognitive decline in aged people. As the egg is one of the best dietary supplements of choline, it is essential to incorporate it with other food to improve your overall health.
5. Eggs Are Loaded With Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid also known as “good” fats. It is essential for cell functioning, protecting the brain and heart health. Omega-3 can reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood, which is linked to increasing the chances of heart disease. Eggs are an incredible source of omega-3 fatty acids, and the amount varies between 100 to 500 mg per egg. It is a helpful alternative for people who can’t eat omega-3 enriched oily fish. Although, you must know that pastured eggs are richer in omega-3 fatty acids than the conventional egg.
The Possible Downside Of Eating Eggs
Whenever we talk about eating eggs, the health benefits are numerous. But in some cases, it may create health issues as well.
1. Eggs Are High In Cholesterol
The amount of cholesterol in an egg is indeed high. But it does not mean it will increase the level of cholesterol in your blood. Cholesterol is produced naturally in our body, and the intake of dietary cholesterol will lead to less cholesterol secretion from the liver. Although if you have heart disease or other serious health issues, it is better to avoid the egg yolk or take advice from a doctor before eating it.
2. Eating Eggs May Cause Bloating
Although egg is one of the most common breakfasts, eating it in excess may make you feel bloated for the whole long day. Eggs are high in sulfur, which may create issues like trouble digestion, bloating, or producing gas. Sometimes it is related to food sensitivity to the yolk, the white portion, or maybe both. Some people also suffer from IBS ( Irritable Bowel Syndrome). It is a gastrointestinal disease that creates constipation, stomach cramps, and bloating. So, if you have this issue, you should avoid eating dairy products, including eggs.
3. Eggs May Create Allergy
Egg allergy in children is common, and it may cause serious health issues. The symptoms of egg allergy may persist from minutes to hours, depending upon the severity. Some common symptoms include coughing, dizziness, stomach cramping, swelling of lips, trouble digestion, and sometimes it may even cause breathing difficulties. People having egg allergies should avoid eating eggs and need to take medical support in critical situations, and in severe conditions carrying an epinephrine injector pen will help treat anaphylactic reactions. It is a severe allergic reaction that occurs from certain types of foods or insect biting.
Ways To Add Eggs To Your Diet
Adding eggs to your diet can be delicious if you prepare them in different ways, and here are the egg nutrition facts you need to know about.
- Hard-boiled egg calories are not much, and they are easy to cook and healthy. You can eat them with salad, cheese or bread.
- Making omelets are also a good option. You can eat it as a meal by adding some veggies and lean meat or fish.
- A scrambled egg is the most delicious with lower 1 egg calories. You can add milk and butter to this recipe to get more calories.
- Eating eggs in various ways can be healthy, but avoiding excessive butter, cheese, milk, or high-fat oils is also necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you know about egg white nutrition? How much are fried egg calories? How many calories are in a hard-boiled egg?First off, let’s get the most important question out of the way, how many calories are in a hard-boiled egg?
Another egg white nutrition fact - an average-sized egg contains nearly 72 calories.
1 fried egg calorie is about 90. Yes, while there are 72 calories in one egg, there are 90 calories in one egg that is fried.
The calories of two average-sized eggs are approximately 148 calories or 620 kilojoules.
An average-sized egg provides about 310 kilojoules, but it also depends on the size.
The hard-boiled egg calories are about 77 calories.
The egg white provides nearly 18 calories.
The fried egg calories range between 85 to 120 calories.
One poached egg will provide you with about 74 calories.
The calories of scrambled eggs depend on the ingredients you add, but two scrambled eggs without milk comprise about 154 calories.