One large egg (about 50 g without the shell) has about 6.3 g of protein and 72 calories. Just over half of that protein is in the white and the rest is in the yolk, which also holds the fat, the vitamins and the cholesterol. Here is the full breakdown, how eggs compare with other protein foods, and how many you need for a muscle-building meal after 35.
Quick answer
- 1 large whole egg (50 g): about 6.3 g protein, 72 kcal, 4.8 g fat.
- 1 large egg white (33 g): about 3.6 g protein, 17 kcal, almost no fat.
- 1 large yolk (17 g): about 2.7 g protein, 55 kcal, 4.5 g fat.
- Per 100 g of whole egg: about 12.6 g protein and 143 kcal raw, 155 kcal hard-boiled.
- Raw vs cooked: the protein content is the same, but your body absorbs much more of it from cooked eggs: about 91% versus 51% in a stable-isotope study.
- For 30 g of protein: about 5 whole eggs, or 2 whole eggs plus 4 to 5 whites.
Egg nutrition per 100 g
| Per 100 g | Whole egg, raw | Whole egg, hard-boiled | Egg white, raw | Egg yolk, raw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 143 kcal | 155 kcal | 52 kcal | 322 kcal |
| Protein | 12.6 g | 12.6 g | 10.9 g | 15.9 g |
| Fat | 9.5 g | 10.6 g | 0.2 g | 26.5 g |
| of which saturated | 3.1 g | 3.3 g | 0 g | 9.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.7 g | 1.1 g | 0.7 g | 3.6 g |
| Cholesterol | 372 mg | 373 mg | 0 mg | 1,085 mg |
| Choline | 294 mg | 294 mg | 1 mg | 820 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.89 µg | 1.11 µg | 0.09 µg | 1.95 µg |
| Vitamin D | 2.0 µg | 2.2 µg | 0 µg | 5.4 µg |
| Iron | 1.8 mg | 1.2 mg | 0.1 mg | 2.7 mg |
| Leucine | 1.1 g | 1.1 g | 1.0 g | 1.4 g |
Values from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), approximate. Indian food tables give similar figures: 13.3 g protein per 100 g of raw hen’s egg (IFCT 2017). Egg sizes vary, so weigh one if you want precise numbers.
Per large egg, that works out to about 147 mg of choline, 0.45 µg of vitamin B12 and 1 µg of vitamin D, almost all of it from the yolk. If you eat only whites, you keep the protein but lose most of these nutrients. If you are vegetarian and eat eggs, they are a useful B12 source; see our guide to vitamin B12 for vegetarians.
Eggs vs other protein foods
| Food (per 100 g) | Protein | kcal | Protein per 100 kcal | For 20 g protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole egg, hard-boiled | 12.6 g | 155 | 8.1 g | 159 g (about 3 eggs), 246 kcal |
| Egg whites | 10.9 g | 52 | 21.0 g | 183 g (about 6 whites), 95 kcal |
| Paneer | 18.9 g | 258 | 7.3 g | 106 g, 273 kcal |
| Greek yogurt, plain non-fat | 10.2 g | 59 | 17.3 g | 196 g, 116 kcal |
| Firm tofu | 9.0 g | 78 | 11.6 g | 221 g, 173 kcal |
| Chicken breast, cooked | 31.0 g | 165 | 18.8 g | 64 g, 106 kcal |
What this means: whole eggs give about the same protein per calorie as paneer, and less than Greek yogurt, tofu or chicken. Egg whites are one of the most protein-dense foods there is, which is why mixing whole eggs with extra whites is a common trick when you want more protein without many more calories. Paneer values are from IFCT 2017; the rest from USDA. See all 84 foods in our high-protein foods list.
How cooking changes egg protein
Boiling, poaching, scrambling or frying does not change how much protein is in the egg, but it does change how much you absorb. In a study in healthy volunteers using labelled eggs, about 91% of the protein from cooked eggs was absorbed, compared with about 51% from raw eggs. Raw eggs also carry a food-safety risk, so there is no muscle-building reason to drink them.
Cooking method mainly changes the calories. A fried large egg (46 g) has about 90 kcal, compared with about 78 kcal for a boiled one, because of the oil it absorbs. Scrambled eggs made with milk and butter come out lower in protein per 100 g simply because of the added ingredients.
How to fit eggs into a high-protein day after 35
Men who lift typically need around 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, and older muscles respond best to about 0.4 g/kg per meal. For an 80 kg man that is about 128 g a day and roughly 30 g at each main meal. Get your own numbers with the protein calculator.
Two eggs alone (about 13 g) are a good start but not a full muscle-building meal. Add whites, dairy, beans or meat. A sample day for someone who eats eggs and dairy but no meat:
| Meal | What to eat | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Omelette with 2 whole eggs and 3 whites, 2 slices whole-wheat toast | 31 g |
| Lunch | 1 cup cooked dal, 1 cup curd, 2 rotis | 35 g |
| Snack | 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 glass toned milk | 21 g |
| Dinner | 1 cup chana with 100 g paneer, 1 cup rice | 38 g |
| Total | about 125 g |
If you eat meat, a Latin-style breakfast of 3 eggs with an arepa and a slice of queso fresco gives about 31 g. Build your own combinations in the protein plate builder.
Eggs and cholesterol: a 2019 American Heart Association science advisory concluded that healthy people can include about one whole egg a day as part of a heart-healthy diet. If you have high LDL cholesterol, diabetes or heart disease, ask your doctor how many yolks suit you, and use whites to add protein. More in our guide to heart health after 35.
FAQ
How much protein is in 2 eggs?
About 12.6 g in two large eggs, with about 143 kcal. Two medium eggs give closer to 11 g.
Does the egg white or yolk have more protein?
The white has slightly more in total (about 3.6 g versus 2.7 g in a large egg), because it is bigger. Gram for gram, the yolk is richer in protein, but also in fat and calories.
Is it bad to eat only egg whites?
No, whites are an excellent lean protein. But you miss the yolk’s choline, vitamin D and B12. Mixing a couple of whole eggs with extra whites gives you a balance of both.
Do brown eggs have more protein?
Shell colour depends on the hen’s breed, not nutrition. Size matters far more: a large egg has more protein than a small one, whatever the colour.
Next: compare eggs with 83 other foods in the protein foods database, read how much protein you need after 35, or see how much protein is in paneer.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: egg, whole, raw (01123); hard-boiled (01129); fried (01128); white, raw (01124); yolk, raw (01125); Greek yogurt, tofu, chicken breast.
- Longvah T, et al. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR): egg, poultry, whole, raw (M001); paneer (L003).
- Evenepoel P, et al. (1998). Digestibility of cooked and raw egg protein in humans as assessed by stable isotope techniques. Journal of Nutrition.
- Carson JAS, et al. (2020). Dietary cholesterol and cardiovascular risk: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation.
- Morton RW, et al. (2018). Protein supplementation and resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Moore DR, et al. (2015). Protein needed per meal in older versus younger men. Journals of Gerontology Series A.
Nutrition values are approximate and vary with egg size and cooking. This page is general education, not medical advice.