How many grams of protein and calories are in an egg?

Are you often found in the gym or on the sports field? Then chances are you work hard every day to get enough protein. You can obtain these proteins from both animal and plant sources, such as chicken, dairy, beef, nuts, salmon, legumes, Whey Protein, and eggs. You’ve probably seen the old images of bodybuilders drinking a glass of raw eggs. But how much protein and how many calories are actually in an egg? In this blog, we’ll tell you everything about the nutritional value of eggs!

How much protein is in an egg?

A nice boiled egg for breakfast or lunch, or maybe you regularly make scrambled eggs; there are many ways to incorporate eggs into your meal plan. But to keep track of whether you're getting enough protein, it's helpful to know how much protein is in an egg.

The amount of protein, of course, depends on the size and weight of the egg. When buying a box of eggs, you have the choice of small (S), medium (M), large (L), and extra large (XL).

• Small = 43 - 53 grams
• Medium = 53 - 63 grams
• Large = 63 - 73 grams
• Extra large = more than 73 grams

To find out the protein content in an egg, we consulted NEVO, the Dutch Food Composition Database (part of RIVM). According to NEVO, eggs contain approximately 12.3 grams of protein per 100 grams.

For convenience, if we assume an egg weighs 60 grams, one boiled egg contains 7.4 grams of protein.

This refers to the amount of protein in a boiled egg without the shell. Since egg weights vary, and thus the exact protein content also varies, we’ve provided the nutritional values per 100 grams below.

Nutritional values of eggs

Of course, an egg doesn’t only provide protein. In addition to protein, eggs also contain carbohydrates and fats. The carbohydrate content is very low, which is why eggs are popular in low-carb diets. In the table below, you’ll find the nutritional values of a boiled egg (per 100 grams). This information is available on the NEVO website under the label "chicken egg - boiled" (NEVO code 84).

How many calories are in an egg?

How do you prefer your eggs? There are countless ways to prepare an egg, with fried and boiled being the most popular options. But how many calories are actually in a fried egg? And how many in a boiled egg?

Calories in a fried egg (in oil or butter)

A fried egg contains about 90-100 calories, including the oil or butter used for frying.

Calories in a boiled egg

A boiled egg contains approximately 70-80 calories, as no extra fat is added during cooking.

These numbers are guidelines, however. The actual calorie content of your fried egg depends on how much oil or butter you use. Want to keep the calories as low as possible? Try our Perfect Cooking Spray. This handy spray contains only 2 calories and is perfect for a calorie-conscious diet!

How much protein is in egg yolk and egg white? And how much protein is in an egg without yolk?

An egg consists of the yolk, also called the egg yolk, and the egg white. On average, an egg is about one-third yolk and two-thirds egg white. Both the yolk and the white contain proteins, but the yolk also contains the fat (which is not present in the egg white). So, how much protein is in the yolk and how much is in the egg white? And how much protein is in an egg without the yolk?

• Egg yolk = 16.7 grams of protein per 100 grams
• Egg white = 10.5 grams of protein per 100 grams

To complete the information in our blog about protein in eggs, we’ve also calculated this for a 60-gram egg. The values are as follows:

• Egg yolk = 3.4 grams of protein per 60 grams
• Egg white = 4.2 grams of protein per 60 grams

So, an egg without yolk weighing 60 grams contains 4.2 grams of protein!

Have you calculated how much protein you need per day? You can use the above protein values to plan your diet accordingly.

Does cooking affect the quality of the proteins?

Going back to those 'hardcore bodybuilders' you saw drinking raw eggs – is it a good idea to do this, or is it better to eat cooked eggs? We’ve looked into the absorbability of protein in raw eggs versus cooked eggs.

And the results? It turns out it’s much better to eat cooked eggs than raw ones. According to this study[1], your body absorbs about 90% of the protein from cooked eggs. With raw eggs, it was only 50%. This finding was confirmed in another study[2], where athletes were given a meal with either cooked or raw egg whites. Cooked egg whites had an absorbability of 94% compared to 74% for raw egg whites.

Is egg white good for you?

Now that you know how much protein is in an egg, you might want to know how valuable this protein is for your body. First, it's important to know that egg white contains all the essential amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks of protein and play a crucial role in physiological processes within the body.

Because the protein in eggs contains all these essential amino acids, it is highly valuable for your body. This excellent amino acid profile makes egg white a better match for what your body needs compared to many plant-based proteins, such as those found in grains, oats, soy, and nuts.

High biological value of proteins

To determine if a product has a good amino acid profile, we look at the biological value of proteins. This is a number between 0 and 100. The higher the value, the better the amino acid profile matches our body's proteins (in terms of ratio and quantity). Eggs have a biological value of 100, meaning the proteins in eggs are very valuable. Take a look at these products:

• Egg = 100
• Cheese = 84
• Beef = 80
• Chicken = 79
• Soy = 74
• Fish = 70
• Oatmeal = 66
• Milk = 60
• White rice = 56
• Potatoes = 34

Egg Protein

To supplement your muscle-building diet, you can use a protein shake. Whey Protein is the most popular option, but unfortunately, it’s not suitable for everyone. Since whey protein is derived from dairy, it’s not an option for people following a vegan diet or those with lactose intolerance. For the latter group, egg protein is an excellent alternative.

Our Egg Protein consists of 100% egg albumin, providing the highest possible nutritional value. This egg-based protein powder is completely free from lactose and milk protein. If you have a lactose or cow’s milk allergy, Egg Protein is a great alternative to Whey Protein.

Egg Protein from XXL Nutrition is the result of a high-quality and pure filtration process. During this process, the protein is isolated from the egg, dried, and processed into a very fine powder (egg albumin), which is easily absorbed by the body. This means the highest possible protein content, minimal carbohydrates, and not a gram of fat.

Liquid Egg White

Eggs contain a lot of protein (with a high biological value), but they also contain a lot of fat. If you want to include egg white in your diet but avoid the fat from the yolk, you can manually separate the egg white from the yolk and, for example, make an omelette with a higher ratio of egg white to yolk. However, this is not always convenient. Fortunately, you can use our Liquid Egg Whites. This is 100% liquid egg white that you can drink straight from the bottle, use for cooking, baking, or even add to your shake. Liquid Egg Whites are pasteurised and completely free of additives and preservatives.

How much protein is in an egg

After reading our blog, you now know exactly how much protein is in an egg: 12.3 grams of protein per 100 grams. Since egg sizes and weights can vary greatly, you can use this information to calculate how much egg white you’re consuming. Since egg protein contains all essential amino acids, it is an excellent source of protein for athletes. Are you a vegetarian or have a lactose allergy? Then Egg Protein is a good alternative to Whey Protein as a daily supplement.

Sources

[1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9772141/

[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10564098/