The United States produces 110 billion eggs per year, more than 20 percent of the world's supply. Eggs are relatively inexpensive protein sources that are nutrient-rich and can be prepared in a variety of ways.
How many calories there are in an egg ultimately depends on how you prepare them and how large they are. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one medium egg has about 66 calories. A large egg has 72 calories.
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Nutrients in Eggs
The health benefits of eggs are numerous because they're rich in protein and important nutrients. A medium-sized egg contains 6.4 grams of protein, 4.6 grams of fat and 177 milligrams of cholesterol, per the NIH.
Egg yolks are one of only a few natural food sources of vitamin D, and they also contain vitamin A and vitamin E. Eggs provide 13 essential nutrients, including choline, folate, vitamin D, iodine and B vitamins as well as high-quality protein
How Many Calories Are In An Egg?
The nutrition of an egg depends on its size and preparation. Larger eggs will provide more calories than smaller ones, while eggs cooked in fat will have higher calories than those cooked alone.
Calories in Eggs by Size
Looking at numbers from the USDA's FoodData Central Database, we know that one large egg contains 72 calories. But eggs may range in size from small to extra large.
There are six egg weight classes recognized by the USDA, based on the minimum net weight per dozen. We've broken these numbers down and cross-referenced them with the FoodData Central Database to determine egg sizes and associated calories.
How Many Calories Are in an Egg by Size?
Egg Type | Weight (grams) | Calories |
Small | 40.16-47.24 | 57-68 |
Medium | 47.25-54.33 | 69-78 |
Large | 54.34-61.41 | 79-88 |
Extra Large | 61.42-68.50 | 89-98 |
Jumbo | 68.51+ | 99+ |
Calories in Eggs by Cooking Method
Not only do the number of calories in an egg vary by size, but it also varies by how you cook it. If you're scrambling them with cheese, for example, they will be higher in calories than if you're eating a plain boiled egg.
Because they're cooked with no extra ingredients, a boiled egg has the number of calories reflected in the table above. So, let's say a plain boiled medium egg is 72 calories. That same egg, when cooked over-easy with one tablespoon of butter, is 174 calories, according to the USDA. A one-egg omelet cooked with cheese and butter is about 131 calories.
Egg whites also have less calories than egg yolks, so if you're trying to lose weight in a healthy way, consider sticking to egg whites and cutting out egg yolks from your diet. According to the USDA, egg yolks contain 56 calories per yolk, while one egg white is only 18 calories.