Eggs are great to have as a snack or as part of a larger meal. They’re cheap, small, and packed with protein. If you want to increase your daily protein intake, add some eggs to your diet. The protein content will vary compared to the egg’s size, with larger eggs having more protein.
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The amount of protein in an egg
A small egg will pack around 4.5 grams of protein and a jumbo egg can have as much as 8 grams of protein per egg. Your average large egg that is most commonly purchased in stores has around 6 grams of protein.
When looking at calories, there about 70-80 calories in 1 large egg. Six grams of protein yields 24 grams of protein. Therefore, the average egg is around 30% to 35% protein.
Want to add more protein through eggs? This is the best protein powders based on egg white.
Two parts of an egg
An egg is made up of two distinct parts: the egg yolk and the egg white. These two different parts are very other in terms of their nutritional value.
The egg white contains about 55% to 60% of all the protein content of an egg. However, the egg white itself is made up of nearly 100% protein.
In comparison, the egg yolk contains about 40% to 45% of the total protein content. However, it also has nearly all of the fat in an egg.
This is why there is so much emphasis placed on egg whites in terms of nutrition. As egg whites are nearly 100% protein, they are a straightforward way to increase your protein consumption while keeping the calories low.
One way to still get the nutrients and deliciousness of the yolk, with extra protein, is to use a couple whole eggs, and then add more egg whites only.
Eggs have top-quality protein
Our bodies can handle some types of protein better than others. Depending on their amino acid content and ratios, our bodies can more effectively digest certain types of proteins. The proteins your body can’t digest end up getting wasted.
To rank the quality of an individual source of protein a method known as the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score, or PDCAAS for short, is used. The PDCAAS looks at how easy a food source is to digest and gives it a rating. The highest score possible is 1.00 and there are very few types of food that actually get this score. Eggs are one of them.
This means that eggs not only have the perfect ratio of amino acids, but your body can actually utilize the protein ingested optimally, rather than wasting some of it.
Eggs: A perfect protein
As you can see, eggs are one of the best protein sources, especially when you isolate the egg white. There are multiple ways to enjoy this food so don’t cut your protein short by not including this incredible food.
FAQ
Does it matter how I make my eggs?
Nope. Some suggest that cooking protein can degrade some of the quality of the protein. While this may have some truth, the worry is often greatly exaggerated in terms of loss. Either way, eating your eggs boiled, scrambled, or packed in an omelet are all great, nutrient-filled ways to eat an egg.
What other sources of protein can I eat for breakfast?
A few protein-packed breakfast choices are:
- Greek yoghurt with granola
- Add cheese to your eggs for extra protein
- Sliced chicken breast with butter on whole wheat toast
- Peanut butter toast
