A fried egg sits in a black nonstick skillet.
The typical egg contains 13 essential vitamins and minerals and about 6 grams of protein—quite a punch for a small item. (For Spectrum Health Beat)

For decades, there has been much debate about the nutritional offering of eggs and how they might affect our health.

Should we avoid them? Eat just the whites? Are they a miracle food?

All good questions—and all frequently asked.

With that in mind, here is a nutritional breakdown of eggs, including the nutrients and possible health benefits they offer, as well as their potential drawbacks.

Nutritional standout

Nutritionally speaking, eggs pack quite a punch.

The average large egg contains 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, choline and vitamin D. Eggs are, in fact, one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, which is important for metabolism and bone preservation.

Eggs are also an excellent source of protein. One egg provides 6 grams of protein and all nine essential amino acids. Because eggs provide these essential amino acids, they offer just about the highest quality natural protein source that you can eat. And all of this nutrition comes in a very small package, with just 70 calories per serving.

So why have eggs been causing all the fuss?

To answer this, it’s important to consider what the different parts of the egg offer nutritionally.

The whites

The white of the egg is fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in calories and an excellent source of protein. An egg white contains most of the egg’s protein—about 4 grams total. It is also low in sodium (about 55 milligrams worth) and it’s only about 17 calories.

Egg whites also contain fair amounts of magnesium and potassium and small amounts of the B vitamins selenium and niacin.

The yolk

The egg yolk contains some heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as the majority of vitamins and minerals in the egg.

Many of these vitamins and minerals are helpful in supporting a good immune system and aiding in prevention of chronic diseases.

But here’s the tricky part.

The yolk also contains cholesterol and saturated fat, which is the type of fat we want to limit because it tends to increase our LDL cholesterol levels and our risk of coronary artery disease.

Each egg yolk contains about 2 grams of saturated fat and 186 milligrams of cholesterol. The amount of saturated fat in one egg is fairly low, however, especially if the rest of your daily food intake is low in saturated fats.

And it is now understood that dietary cholesterol and cholesterol in the blood are only loosely related, which means the cholesterol in an egg is not too concerning.

Given the saturated fats and cholesterol in eggs, it is best to enjoy whole eggs in moderation.

Research has found that eating up to one whole egg per day is unlikely to be associated with higher levels of heart disease in healthy individuals.

So if your doctor approves, enjoy that egg—and know that eating the entire egg provides a better package nutritionally.

But remember to include eggs as part of a well-rounded diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean or plant-based proteins. This will ensure you get all the nutritional benefits.