Nutrition

Nutritional Information

• Two large eggs = ±155 calories.

• Eggs contain the highest quality food protein known – it is often the standard by which all other proteins are judged.

• Eggs are second only to mother's milk for human nutrition.

• In addition to the 9 essential amino acids (essential proteins that the body cannot create itself), there are another 9 amino acids in an egg.

• A moderate amount of fat (± 5 grams) is found in a large egg yolk.

• An egg yolk is one of the few foods that contain Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, which is good for the immune system.

• One large egg contains 213 mg cholesterol, which needs to be present in the body to produce vitamin D.

• One large egg provides 3% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for calcium-essential for building and maintaining bones and teeth and other functions associated with the blood and muscles. Calcium is mostly found in the yolk.

Calories

Egg Size	Calories
Medium	66
Large	75
Extra Large	84
Jumbo	94

Composition

Hover over dots for more info:

• Shell

  Outer covering of egg, composed largely of calcium carbonate

  May be white or brown depending in breed of chicken

  Color does not affect egg quality, cooking characteristics, nutritive value or shell thickness

• Air Cell

  Pocket of air formed at the large end of the egg

  Caused by the contraction of the contents during cooling after laying

  Increases in size as egg ages

• Shell membranes

  Two membranes-inner and outer shell membranes surround albumen

  Provide protective barrier against bacterial penetration

  Air cell forms between these two membranes

• Thin albumen (white)

  Nearest to the shell

  Spreads around thick white of high-quality egg

• Thick albumen (white)

  Major source of egg riboflavin and protein

  Stands higher and spreads less in higher-grade eggs

  Thins and becomes indistiguishable from thin white lower-grade eggs

• Chalazae

  Twisted, cordlike strands of egg white

  Anchor yolk in center of egg

  Prominent chalazae indicate freshness

• Vitelline (Yolk) membrane

  Hold yolk content

• Germinal disc

• Yolk

  Yellow portion of egg

  Colour varies with feed of the hen, but doesn't indicate nutritive content

  Major source of egg vitamins, minerals and fat