Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition
Eggs are one of the healthiest foods that you can choose to include in your diet. They are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food and although they are high in cholesterol, eggs don’t appear to increase heart disease risk in most people but remember, it’s important to have any food in moderation. Aside, from all the nutrients that hard boiled eggs and eggs in general provide and not affecting your cholesterol, they are inexpensive, so it’s a “win-win” situation for you. Also, there are so many ways to prepare them that it’s hard not to love them. But when thinking about healthy diets, usually the first form of preparing eggs that comes to our mind is boiling them. Which makes total sense since boiling doesn’t require any oils, therefore no additional calories and fats. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein and choline, and they contain several B vitamins, along with vitamins A and D. If you’d like to learn more about hard boiled egg nutrition, check all the important information below.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: What does It Contain?
Calories: 77
Carbs: 0.6 grams
Total fat: 5.3 grams
Saturated fat: 1.6 grams
Monounsaturated fat: 2.0 grams
Cholesterol: 212 mg
Protein: 6.3 grams
Vitamin A: 6% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 15% of the RDA
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): 9% of the RDA
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 7% of the RDA
Phosphorus: 86 mg or 9% of the RDA
Selenium: 15.4 mcg, or 22% of the RDA
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Carbs
Eggs are a low-carb food, providing less than 1 gram of carbohydrates in one large egg. They have a tiny amount of sugar and no fibre. This means, in order to meet your daily value of both carbs and fibre, you should add other ingredients to your meal.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Fat
There are 5 grams of fat per large egg. About 1.6 grams is saturated fat, and the rest is unsaturated or “good” fat, making eggs a healthy option to add to your meal. Although there are misconceptions about fats in foods and some people associate fat with something bad that will make you gain weight, eating foods that contain fats, especially unsaturated is still important for healthy eating habits.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Proteins
Eggs are a good source of high-quality, complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids necessary to rebuild muscles and tissues in our bodies. Protein is vital for many components of your health, including building muscle and bones and producing hormones and enzymes. Eggs provide about 6 grams of high-quality protein. In fact, eggs are one of the best sources of protein you can eat. This is due to their complete protein profile since eggs contain all nine essential amino acids. However, one common misconception is that the protein is found only in the egg white. But, in reality, almost half of an egg’s protein content comes from the yolk. Therefore, it’s best to enjoy the whole egg, yolk and all, to benefit from the protein and nutrients eggs have to offer.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Vitamins and Minerals
Eggs provide important vitamins and minerals. They contain vitamin D, important for the absorption of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, for healthy vision, skin, and cell growth, and two B-complex vitamins that your body needs to convert food into energy. Eggs are also a very good source of riboflavin, selenium, and choline, an essential nutrient crucial for healthy memory, mood, and muscle control.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Health Benefits
Helps Maintain Muscle Mass
Eggs are a good source of protein. Eating foods with protein can help you to build and maintain strong muscles, which can become more difficult as we age. Plus, eggs are one of the few natural sources of vitamin D, which helps with absorbing calcium, maintaining healthy bones, promoting neuromuscular function, and reducing inflammation.
Provides Healthy Fat
While eggs do contain saturated fat, they also provide both polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat, which are considered "good" fats because they have been shown to be helpful in lowering your LDL or "bad" cholesterol and boosting heart health. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats to about 13 grams per day if you typically consume about 2,000 calories daily.
Promotes Eye Health
Eggs are also high in the carotenoids, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which help protect our eyes from macular degeneration, which is an age-related loss of vision. Carotenoids are the chemical compounds that produce the yellow, orange, and red colors in fruits and vegetables.
Supports Brain Health and Development
Choline, of which eggs are an excellent source, helps boost cognitive development in utero and may also protect us from age-related memory loss and other cognitive impairment.
Help Manage Weight Loss Overtime
Research has linked meals higher in protein to keep you fuller, longer. Published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, a 2004 review suggests that protein-rich foods, eggs included, is the most filling option available at mealtime, even with smaller portions compared to other nutrients. Plus, lean protein like eggs is lower in calories than higher-fat cuts of meat and poultry.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Adverse Effects
Some people have concerns about the cholesterol in eggs, but dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol, which is tested to determine your risk for heart disease, are different. Current medical evidence suggests that eating foods that are high in dietary cholesterol will not significantly impact your risk for heart disease. Instead, reduce your saturated and trans-fat intake to keep blood cholesterol levels at a healthy level.
Hard Boiled Egg Nutrition: Hard Boiled vs Fried
Hard-boiled eggs are made by placing unshelled eggs in a saucepan filled with cold water, then boiling until the yolk solidifies. They’re cooked without any additional butter or oil. On the other hand, fried eggs require supplemental butter or oil, which contribute additional calories and fat. For example, one large hard-boiled egg has 77 calories and 5.3 grams of fat, compared to 90 calories and 7 grams of fat in one large fried egg. Other than the fat and calorie content, hard-boiled and fried eggs have very similar vitamin and mineral profiles. They don’t differ in their amount of protein and nutrients.
