A large egg (about 50 g) has roughly 72 calories and 6 g of protein; boiled it stays about 72 to 78. Frying or scrambling adds whatever oil or butter you use, often 40 to 100 calories more.
Eggs are one of the most searched foods for a reason: they are cheap, filling and high in protein. Here are the real numbers.
Calories in one egg, by size
- Small egg (about 38 g): around 54 calories
- Medium egg (about 44 g): around 63 calories
- Large egg (about 50 g): around 72 calories
- Extra large (about 56 g): around 80 calories
Most eggs sold in shops are medium or large. If you are not sure, count 70 calories an egg.
Boiled, fried or scrambled?
- Boiled or poached: nothing is added, so a large egg stays at about 72 to 78 calories.
- Fried: a teaspoon of oil adds about 40 calories, a tablespoon about 120. A fried egg is usually 90 to 120 calories.
- Scrambled or as an omelette: depends on the butter, oil, milk and cheese. Two eggs scrambled in a teaspoon of butter come to about 180 calories; add cheese and it can pass 300.
- Shakshuka: the eggs plus the oil and sauce. A pan with two eggs is often 250 to 400 calories per person.
The egg is rarely the problem. The oil and what you eat with it are.
Protein in eggs
A large egg has about 6 to 6.5 g of protein, split between the white (about 3.6 g) and the yolk (about 2.7 g). Three eggs give around 19 g, a good start toward a protein-rich breakfast.
The yolk also holds most of the egg's fat, vitamin D, B12 and choline, so for most people there is no reason to throw it away.
How many eggs a day is fine?
For healthy people, studies have not found that one or two eggs a day raise heart risk, and many guidelines no longer set a strict daily limit. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes or heart disease, ask your doctor what suits you.
Eggs in a weight loss diet
Eggs are a strong choice when you are cutting calories: high protein for few calories, and they keep you full. Boil them, cook them in a non-stick pan with a spray of oil, and pair them with vegetables or wholegrain bread instead of fried sides.
Sources
- Nutrition values for eggs, records 171287 (raw), 173424 (boiled) and 173423 (fried): USDA FoodData Central
- Eggs and heart disease, three large cohorts and a meta-analysis: Drouin-Chartier et al., 2020
The takeaway
Count about 70 calories and 6 g of protein per large egg, then add the cooking fat. In Shulah you can log eggs in one tap and see your protein for the day add up as you go.