Nutritional Information: Eggs

Eggs are highly nutritious and contain a fortifying mix of vitamins and minerals. An average-sized egg (weighing 50 grams) is rich in vitamin B12 and is a good source of riboflavin. Eggs also supply vitamin D, folic acid, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, zinc, iron, and potassium.

There’s no difference whatsoever between the nutritional value of white eggs and brown eggs, although the quantity of nutrients may vary with the size of the egg and the yolk.

Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein. Egg protein is said to be “complete” because it provides all eight essential amino acids. These acids are essential to the human body and must be supplied by the food we eat, since the body is unable to produce them itself. Not only does egg protein provide these amino acids but also it does so in ideally balanced proportions. As a result, egg protein is used as a reference in assessing the content and value of proteins found in other foods.

The egg’s nutrients are not equally distributed between the white and the yolk. The white supplies more than half of the protein and the larger portion of the potassium and riboflavin, while the yolk provides the A and D vitamins as well as most of the other vitamins and minerals. The yolk also contains all the fat and three-fourths of the total calories.

Egg whites can cause an allergic reaction in some people, which is why they are not recommended for children under one year of age. Raw egg whites contain avidin, a protein that combines with the vitamin biotin, thus blocking its absorption by the body. However, the risk of biotin deficiency is small, since this vitamin is found in many other foods and raw egg whites are not usually a significant part of a diet. Avidin is neutralized by cooking.

Other types of protein present in egg whites inhibit the action of trypsin, a gastric enzyme secreted by the pancreas. But again, this becomes a problem only in the unlikely event that large amounts of egg white are consumed. Like avidin, trypsin is neutralized by cooking.