Food & Ingredients

Protein Amount for Eggs, Plus Other Health Benefits

Protein Amount for Eggs, Plus Other Health Benefits
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Published on April 3, 2025
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Eggs are relatively low in calories, contain negligible carbohydrates, and are a solid source of high-quality protein, which serves as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Plus, a protein-rich diet can help you maintain your weight by promoting feelings of fullness and building muscle.

Even though eggs have been increasing in price lately, they’ve historically been an inexpensive protein source. “Despite price fluctuations, eggs remain one of the least expensive sources of animal-based protein in North America,” says Brittany Brown, CDCES, RD, a dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. “An egg is a nutritional powerhouse and a great addition to one’s diet.”

How Much Protein Is in 1 Egg?

On average, one egg will have about 6 grams (g) of protein. The size of the egg does affect the amount of protein it contains. Here’s the protein per egg for these various sizes:

  • Small egg (38 g): 4.8 g of protein
  • Medium egg (44 g): 5.6 g of protein
  • Large egg (50 g): 6.3 g of protein
  • Extra-large egg (56 g): 7.1 g of protein
Eggs are considered a complete protein source containing all nine essential amino acids. The body needs 20 different amino acids (the building blocks of protein) but can only make 11. The other nine are considered “essential” because they can only be obtained from foods.

“Eating foods that are complete protein sources is important to make sure your body gets enough of those essential amino acids to function properly,” says Marisa Landetta, RD, a registered dietitian who specializes in gluten-free and plant-based nutrition in Lehi, Utah.

The protein content of eggs is divided equally between the egg whites and yolk.

Chicken eggs tend to be the most popular egg option, but duck, goose, turkey, and quail eggs are also available in some places.

The calories and protein vary slightly depending on the source of the egg, with 143 calories for chicken eggs, 158 for quail, 185 for duck and goose, and 171 for turkey. Protein makes up about 13 percent of the composition of each, so eggs with higher calories (like duck eggs) will have slightly higher protein counts.

Organic eggs, which are eggs that come from a hen that was uncaged and free to roam and feed without pesticides and fertilizers per U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines, may have a slight nutritional advantage.

 “Organic eggs may have higher amounts of protein than conventional eggs,” Landetta says. Research suggests that the higher-quality diet and ability of hens raised in organic farming to roam outdoors may improve their health, and, by extension, the nutritional profile of the eggs they lay.

What Other Nutrients Are in an Egg?

According to the USDA, one large egg provides the following nutrients in addition to protein:

  • Calories: 72
  • Total fat: 4.8 g
  • Saturated fat: 1.6 g
  • Trans fat: 0.02 g
  • Cholesterol: 186 milligrams (mg)
  • Sodium: 71 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 0.36 g
  • Dietary fiber: 0 g
  • Total sugars: 0.2 g
  • Added sugars: 0 g
  • Vitamin D: 1 microgram (mcg)
  • Vitamin C: 0 mg
  • Calcium: 28 mg
  • Iron: 0.9 mg
  • Potassium: 69 mg
Eggs — in particular, egg yolks — are a great source of vitamins A, E, K, and B; choline (a nutrient that plays a role in brain function and growth and development across all life stages); and lutein and zeaxanthin (antioxidants that help preserve eye health).

While eggs previously had a bad reputation as an unhealthy source of cholesterol (a waxy, fat-like substance found throughout the body), evolving research suggests that eating food sources of cholesterol won’t affect how much cholesterol is in the blood. “The cholesterol in eggs isn’t strongly associated with raising cholesterol levels in our bodies,” Landetta says. Eggs and other food sources of cholesterol is unlikely to contribute to heart disease.

Other Health Benefits of Eggs

Eggs are relatively low in calories and a good source of protein, making them a popular addition to diets for weight loss, Landetta says.

One review of randomized controlled trials found that participants who ate eggs had lower fat mass and increased muscle protein synthesis (building new proteins in muscle to help with growth and repair). The researchers also found that including eggs in a meal increased satiety, which may help people eat fewer calories.

5 Tips for Incorporating Eggs Into a Healthy Diet

“Eggs are so versatile and can be served any time of day,” Brown says. They can be added to breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, or even dessert to give your food a boost of protein.

There are dozens of ways to incorporate eggs into your diet, from eating them scrambled or hard-boiled to adding them to meals. Here are a few of Brown and Landetta’s favorite ways to enjoy eggs.

  1. Make a vegetable omelet. “Combining veggies and eggs makes a satisfying and protein-rich breakfast,” Brown says. Plus, a veggie-loaded omelet is a great way to use up any vegetables remaining from your weekly grocery haul or last night’s leftovers, she adds.
  2. Add hard-boiled eggs to a salad. Use crumbled or sliced hard-boiled eggs as a protein-packed salad topper. “Adding eggs on top of a salad will increase the protein content of your meal, making it more well-balanced and, therefore, more filling,” Landetta says.
  3. Place a fried egg on top of stir fry. Whether ordering from your favorite takeout spot or cooking up your stir-fry, take a few minutes to fry an egg or two to add to your meal. This addition provides extra protein without compromising overall taste or nutrition, Brown says.
  4. Indulge in egg-based custard for dessert. “Most custards are made with the fatty part of the egg, the yolk,” Brown says. “This fat helps the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K from our foods.”
  5. Make homemade egg bites. Whip up some egg bites by combining eggs, your favorite veggies, and some cheese (cottage cheese or your favorite shredded variety). Then, pour the mixture into a greased muffin tray and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. “They are so easy to customize and great for meal prep, so you have an easy protein snack while you’re on the go,” Landetta says.

The Takeaway

  • Eggs are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain 9 of the 20 essential amino acids needed to keep the body functioning properly.
  • Eggs are rich in protein, low in calories, and contain insignificant carbohydrates, making them a popular weight loss food.
  • The nutritional benefits don’t stop there — eggs also contain various health-promoting vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and trace elements.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. 4 Ways Protein Can Help You Shed Pounds. Cleveland Clinic. October 28, 2022.
  2. Egg, whole, raw, fresh. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  3. What Are Complete Proteins? Cleveland Clinic. December 6, 2022.
  4. Réhault-Godbert S et al. The Golden Egg: Nutritional Value, Bioactivities, and Emerging Benefits for Human Health. Nutrients. March 22, 2019.
  5. Barnes R. Eggstra! Eggstra! Learn All About Them. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 6, 2012.
  6. Mesas AE et al. Organic Egg Consumption: A Systematic Review of Aspects Related to Human Health. Frontiers in Nutrition. June 2022.
  7. Carson JA et al. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation. December 16, 2019.
  8. Myers M et al. Eggs: Healthy or Risky? A Review of Evidence from High Quality Studies on Hen’s Eggs. Nutrients. June 7, 2023.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

Medical Reviewer

Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.

In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.

Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.

She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.

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Moira Lawler

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Moira Lawler is a journalist who has spent more than a decade covering a range of health and lifestyle topics, including women's health, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and travel. She received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young children, and a giant brown labradoodle.
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