A whole egg contains about 72 calories, but the calorie count varies depending on the size of the egg. A small egg has about 54 calories, while a jumbo egg has about 90 calories. The calorie count of an egg dish depends on the extra ingredients added during preparation. For instance, frying eggs in a pan with oil or butter or serving them with high-calorie foods like sausage, bacon, or cheese increases the total number of calories in an egg dish. For example, an omelet with three eggs and cheese cooked in butter has about 400 calories.
Egg yolks have a different calorie count than egg whites. The yolk of a large egg (17 grams) contains 56 calories, while the white of a large egg (34 grams) contains 18 calories.
Eggs are an incredibly well-rounded food, providing a wealth of healthy nutrients. A large egg contains six grams of protein and is a good or excellent source of eight essential nutrients, all for just 70 calories. The following are the nutritional facts for a whole, large egg that weighs about 50 grams:
- Calories: 78
- Total fat: 5.3 g
- Protein: 6.29 g
- Dietary fiber: 0 g
- Iron: 0.59 mg
- Folate: 22 mg
- Potassium: 63 mg
- Calcium: 25 mg
- Carbohydrate: 0.56 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg
- Sugars: 0.56 g
- Vitamin A: 260 IU
- Phosphorous: 86 mg
- Vitamin D: 44 IU
- Zinc: 0.53 mg
Egg yolks carry fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins D, E, and A. Plus, the fat, which is mostly unsaturated and found in the egg yolk, aids in the absorption of these vitamins.
