Eggs are nutritious and versatile, providing high-quality protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

With that profile, their popularity is understandable.

And popular foods tend to attract…

Plenty of myths.

We examine those claims, whether eggs fit your diet and how many calories an egg contains.

How many calories are in 100 grams of egg?

100 grams of egg provide the following macros:

Calories: 146
Protein: 13 g – 52 kcal – (36 %)
Carbohydrate: 1 g – 4 kcal – (3 %)
Fat: 10 g – 90 kcal – (62 %)

How much does an egg weigh?

At INDYA, we use a standard medium egg of around 60 g as a reference in nutrition planning.

There are four size categories by weight:

S: under 53 grams.
M: between 53 and 63 grams.
L: between 63 and 73 grams.
XL: over 73 grams.

Nutrition in one egg

Using a standard medium egg weighing around 60 g:

A whole egg provides approximately:

80 kcal, depending on its exact size.
8 grams of high-biological-value protein, with a useful amino acid balance. Eggs provide all nine essential amino acids that must come from food. Around 60% of the protein is in the white.
5 grams of fat, mainly unsaturated fat in the yolk. Fat droplets are associated with an emulsifier called lecithin, which helps water and fat mix in sauces and ice cream.

The yolk also contains fat-soluble vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E, alongside folic acid and vitamin B12.

Do boiled, fried and lightly pan-cooked eggs differ?

Cooking method affects nutritional composition, mainly through the amount of oil added.

A boiled egg or poached egg has a similar nutrient profile to a raw egg because it is cooked in water.

For lightly pan-cooked eggs, scrambled eggs or omelettes, calories depend partly on oil used. A deep-fried egg generally contains more fat because more oil is used.

How many calories are in a fried egg?

It depends on the oil consumed with it. Weighing oil before cooking and subtracting what remains can help estimate the added fat.

The protein and carbohydrate amounts remain broadly similar because oil supplies neither.

Eggs and cholesterol

A yolk contains around 215 mg of dietary cholesterol. Concern during the 50s, 60s and 70s about blood cholesterol and cardiovascular disease led to advice limiting eggs to two per week.

Humans need cholesterol for cell membranes, nerve insulation and vitamin D production, among other functions.

Blood cholesterol is transported in lipoproteins familiar from blood tests:

High-density lipoprotein, HDL. It is often called good cholesterol; the H can remind you of “healthy”.
Low-density lipoprotein, LDL. Often called bad cholesterol, high levels contribute to arterial plaque and cardiovascular risk.

The effects of dietary cholesterol, including that in yolk, on blood cholesterol, including HDL and LDL, vary between people and dietary patterns. It is inaccurate to claim that yolk cholesterol cannot be absorbed or never affects blood levels.

Research does not support treating egg intake as an isolated predictor of cardiovascular disease without considering amount, health status and overall diet.

How many eggs can you eat each week?

In January 2014, the Spanish Heart Foundation published a statement that strict egg restriction was unnecessary for healthy people.

Eggs can feature regularly in a healthy eating plan, with amounts and preparation suited to individual needs.

Consider your needs and lifestyle rather than an unlimited allowance. Keep it balanced and avoid displacing other nutritious foods. Overall balance matters.

Can eggs help build muscle?

Another common question.

Eggs alone will not build muscle. With appropriate strength training and energy intake, rather than an unsuitable calorie deficit, they can help because:

Whole-egg protein has high biological value.

Its digestibility and use for protein synthesis are high; not everything eaten is necessarily absorbed.
Eggs supply all essential amino acids.

They provide antioxidant compounds, including carotenoids such as lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin E and selenium, relevant to muscle recovery after training and protection against free radicals. A so-called detox diet is unnecessary.

Can you eat raw eggs?

Raw eggs are not inherently healthier.

Egg proteins have different functions in foods, including the structure of cakes and meringues. Some affect nutrient availability or digestion: ovomucoid interacts with digestive enzymes, while other proteins can bind vitamins or iron. Cooking changes these proteins and can improve access for digestive enzymes.

Cooking eggs matters because heat changes protein structure, improves digestibility and helps control foodborne pathogens.

What happens to egg proteins during cooking?

Different proteins have important culinary roles. They are amino acid chains whose structures unfold and rearrange under heat, a process called denaturation, changing texture. For example:

Ovomucin contributes to egg white structure and its texture as proteins coagulate and the white becomes opaque.

Ovalbumin contributes to foam when eggs are beaten. Egg proteins contain sulphur groups affecting cooked flavour, texture and colour. Sulphur compounds can form hydrogen sulphide, responsible for a characteristic smell; very strong unpleasant odours can accompany spoilage.

In egg aroma, nearly 200 compounds have been identified. Hydrogen sulphide contributes to its characteristic smell and also occurs in kala namak, Himalayan black salt used in high-protein vegan breakfasts, such as vegan omelettes or tofu scramble with mushrooms.

How can you tell whether an egg is raw or boiled?

Spin it on its side. A smooth, rapid spin suggests it is boiled; wobbling suggests it is raw because liquid inside moves.

How do you boil an egg?

A difference of just 13 degrees can change its texture within minutes, so temperature and time matter.

For a hard-boiled egg:

Turn off the heat when the water boils; vigorous bubbling can knock eggs together and crack shells.
Leave for 10–12 minutes.
Cool promptly in water to stop cooking and preserve texture.

Our team also uses an air fryer, around 10–12 minutes at 130ºC, adjusting for egg size and equipment and ensuring appropriate doneness. We enjoy the Cosori air fryer, with Cecotec another option.

How should eggs be stored?

Their natural packaging is the shell, made from calcium carbonate and proteins and covered by a protective cuticle against bacteria. An intact shell does not guarantee freedom from pathogens.

Fresh eggs handled carefully can keep for several weeks; follow date and storage instructions.

Even where eggs are sold unrefrigerated, refrigerate them at home and avoid repeated temperature changes, which can cause surface condensation and increase contamination risks, including Salmonella.
Do not wash eggs before storing them; washing is not a substitute for safe cooking. Salmonella may occur on the shell, and washing can damage protective barriers or spread contamination.
Store in their carton on a shelf towards the back of the fridge rather than the door, avoiding temperature fluctuations and repeated movement.
Avoid warm or very dry storage. Water loss through the porous shell reduces freshness, thins the white and flattens the yolk.

Which eggs are better: free-range, organic or caged?

Eggs sold legally must meet food standards. Nutritional and flavour differences between caged hens and free-range hens are often smaller than expected. Choices also reflect priorities around animal welfare and the environment.

Labelling helps identify production method and origin. The first digit of the stamped code indicates:

0: organic production, with organic feed and access outdoors.
1: free-range hens with access outdoors.
2: barn hens kept indoors on the floor, within legally specified space requirements.
3: hens kept in cages, with controlled lighting to support laying.

Do not judge by colour

Yolk colour largely reflects feed. Its yellow colour comes from plant pigments called xanthophylls, found in alfalfa and maize. Feed rich in these gives a stronger colour, which can also be achieved with permitted colouring additives.

3 egg recipes:

Try these three recipes in the INDYA app for your nutritionist to add to your plan:

If you want to take these recommendations further and adapt them to your goals, training and individual needs, at INDYA you can work with a sports nutritionist who will design and adjust a personalised nutrition plan for you.

If you also want in-person support, INDYA offers a sports nutritionist in Valencia, with a plan tailored to your sport, goals and everyday life.

How many calories are in an egg?