Eggs are nutrient-dense and a common food for many people. They provide protein and essential nutrients such as choline, B vitamins, selenium, and vitamin D.
You may also have heard that eggs contain dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, and there is a lot of debate online about this. So, are eggs actually a good dietary choice or could they potentially be bad for us?
Much of the current evidence is mixed, but studies suggest eggs may help support healthy growth, vision, nutrient adequacy, and satiety. However, some observational research has associated higher intake with a slightly increased risk of all-cause mortality.
In this article, we’ll look at the strength of this evidence, the potential benefits and drawbacks of eggs, and then explain what it all means for you.
Table of contents
Benefits of Eggs
Let’s first look at some of the potential benefits that eggs may provide, based on both their nutrient composition and scientific findings.
Eggs Provide a Good Range of Vitamins and Minerals
Based on USDA data, one large egg weighing 50 grams typically provides:
- Protein: 6g
- Selenium: 28% of the daily value (DV)
- Choline: 27% DV
- Vitamin B12: 23% DV
- Riboflavin (B2): 20% DV
- Pantothenic acid (B5): 14% DV
- Vitamin A: 8% DV
- Phosphorus: 7% DV
- Vitamin D: 5% DV
Since just one egg can provide these nutrients, eggs are a simple way to increase essential nutrient intake.
May Support Healthy Vision
A large 50-gram egg contains 74.5 mcg of vitamin A, which is 8% of the daily value.
Eggs also contain carotenoids that can support healthy vision, providing a combined 176 mcg of lutein and zeaxanthin per egg.
Furthermore, a 2021 systematic review of clinical trials looked into how daily egg intake actually impacts markers of eye health. This study, which involved 296 participants, found that egg consumption had two main effects:
- Increased macular pigment optical density: Egg intake significantly increased levels of macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Higher MPOD levels may better protect the retina of the eye and are strongly linked to improved vision.
- Higher blood levels of lutein: Daily egg intake also increased blood lutein levels. Studies have demonstrated that increasing lutein levels can significantly improve MPOD scores.
Eggs May Support Healthy Growth
Eggs contain a mix of B vitamins, protein, and important nutrients for bone health like vitamin D and phosphorus. Due to this nutrient profile, egg consumption may help support healthy growth.
Recent studies have tested this too, with a 2024 meta-analysis of clinical trials investigating the impact of egg intake on childhood growth.
Across seven interventional studies, a diet supplemented with 1–2 eggs per day for a duration of 2–8 months led to a statistically significant increase in height of 0.47 cm. While this was a relatively modest difference, the findings indicate that habitual egg intake may support healthy growth.
Eggs may be more beneficial in this regard in regions where nutrient inadequacy is more common.
May Have Cognitive Benefits
Due to the broad range of nutrients they provide, eggs have been investigated for their potential effects on cognition.
A 2026 systematic review of 21 studies, involving 99,453 participants, looked at observational research on how egg intake impacted the risk of cognitive decline, finding:
- Lower risk: Compared with lower intakes, consuming approximately 50 grams (1 large egg) per day was linked to a 9% reduced risk of cognitive decline.
- A U-shaped relationship: While the risk of cognitive decline was lower with egg intake of around 50 grams, consumption levels above this were associated with an increased risk.
An earlier 2025 systematic review examined the available evidence on egg intake and cognitive function, and its findings included that:
- Reduced dementia risk: Moderate egg intake, which was deemed to be 0.5–1 egg per day (approx: 25–50g) was linked to a reduced risk of dementia. However, one study the review analyzed found that egg intake levels over this were linked to an increased risk.
- Inconsistent findings: The authors noted that the findings across studies are inconsistent. Therefore, they suggest that further research is necessary to confirm the impact of eggs on cognitive function.
Nutritionist’s Note: What Does This Mean?
These studies suggest that consuming around 50 grams of eggs per day, approximately one large egg, may help support cognitive function. This refers to how well the brain and memory function.
A ‘U-shaped’ dose-response relationship was observed in the 2026 systematic review. This means that intake levels around 50–60 grams per day were associated with the lowest risk compared to lower intakes, while intakes above this amount were associated with an increased risk.
It is difficult to identify an exact reason for this. While eggs contain beneficial nutrients and help to improve dietary nutrient adequacy, it is possible that high intakes could theoretically displace other nutrient-rich foods in the diet, such as fish or lentils. Eggs also contain saturated fat and cholesterol, and high intakes may influence dietary overconsumption of these nutrients.
However, as the researchers note, the effects of eggs on cognition are currently inconsistent across studies. For this reason, it is hard to make any clear conclusions as further, high-quality research is needed.
May Help Support Weight Management
Eggs may potentially help support weight management efforts, and this may be partly due to their impact on satiety levels.
Satiety refers to the feeling of fullness after eating, and the lack of desire or need for more food. Notably, eggs were listed in the landmark ‘satiety index of common foods’ study as one of the most satiating foods.
In this study, according to the satiety scoring criteria, eggs were recorded as being 150% more satiating than white bread, which was a higher rating than lentils (133%) and brown rice (132%).
Later research followed, with a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of consuming a breakfast of either two eggs or oatmeal for four weeks. The findings indicated the following effects on:
- Ghrelin levels: After four weeks, consuming two eggs for breakfast led to lower fasting ghrelin levels compared to oatmeal. Ghrelin is a hunger-signaling hormone that can increase appetite.
- Self-reported satiety: Participants consuming the daily egg breakfast had greater satiety, suggesting increased feelings of fullness.
Does Egg Intake Influence Body Weight?
Now we know egg consumption may improve satiety, but does it actually help with body weight management? A systematic review of clinical trials investigated this issue, finding that egg intake had no significant effects on body weight.
However, the effects differed depending on the study duration and context (e.g. weight loss studies versus surplus energy diets), making it difficult to draw a firm conclusion.
To be clear, eggs may potentially help people reduce how much food they eat if egg intake makes them feel fuller. However, simply adding eggs to the diet will not help support weight loss without an overall reduction in energy intake.
Potential Drawbacks of Eggs
While eggs are a beneficial source of nutrients, they do have some potential drawbacks to consider.
Eggs, Dietary Cholesterol, and Cardiovascular Health
Eggs are a source of dietary cholesterol, and public health guidance previously advised a 300 mg upper intake level per day. This was due to higher intakes of dietary cholesterol being able to slightly increase blood cholesterol levels.
Since a large egg contains approximately 186 mg of cholesterol, previous public health guidance advised limiting egg intake.
However, saturated fat intake more significantly influences blood cholesterol levels, and recent editions of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have moved away from focusing on a cholesterol limit to encouraging healthier dietary patterns.
While guidance on cholesterol intake limits has changed over the years, this doesn’t necessarily mean eggs are ok to consume in any amount. So, what does the actual research on eggs and cardiovascular health say?
Findings from recent studies:
- A 2022 systematic review found that high egg intake was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality (death from any cause) and cancer mortality. However, there were no significant effects observed at intake levels lower than 0.5 eggs per day.
- A 2022 systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis found an association between each additional egg per day and a 6% increased risk of all-cause mortality.
- Another systematic review of observational studies found “low to moderate quality evidence” for each additional weekly egg being associated with a 2% increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, the highest egg intake wasn’t associated with an increased risk compared to the lowest egg intake.
- A systematic review published in Circulation journal found that increased dietary cholesterol and egg intake were associated with slightly higher risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Notably, these associations were observed in United States and European populations, but not in Asian populations.
Research on Eggs is Complex
As you can see from the above studies, higher egg intake has been associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, but findings are inconsistent, differing from study to study.
However, the key word here is associated and we don’t have sufficient evidence to state that eggs cause this increased risk.
One issue here is that these associations could be influenced by what people typically eat alongside eggs. For example, some people may eat eggs alongside bacon and sausages, yet they might eat chicken breast alongside vegetables and pasta.
The Circulation systematic review showing risk differences between populations is a potential example of this. The mortality risk increase wasn’t seen in Asian populations, who may consume eggs alongside different foods as part of their typical dietary pattern.
Overall, current evidence from systematic reviews suggests that moderate egg intake (1 egg per day or lower) is generally not associated with a meaningful increase in mortality risk. However, higher intakes appear to show stronger associations.
Related: Cholesterol In Eggs: Does It Raise Blood Cholesterol?
Egg Allergies
Another potential downside worthy of consideration is egg allergy.
Eggs are among the “big nine” food allergens, and data from a large observational study suggests that egg allergy affects approximately 0.9% of children in the United States.
However, some studies have reported that egg allergy may affect as high as 2% of children, yet only 0.1% of adults.
If you have any concern about an egg allergy, please ensure to consult with your healthcare provider.
Are Eggs High in Saturated Fat?
You may have heard that eggs contain saturated fat, but to be fair, they are relatively low in this fatty acid.
For example, a large egg contains only 1.64 grams of saturated fat, which is only 8% of the daily value. The daily value for saturated fat is 20 grams, which is based on a typical 2,000-calorie diet.
In other words, even consuming three eggs would provide less than 25% of the daily value for saturated fat.
Based on this, eggs are unlikely to be a significant contributor to dietary saturated fat intake for the majority of people.
Nutrition Facts
If you want to know every nutrient that eggs provide, the following tables show the complete nutritional values for eggs per 100g and per 50g large egg. We have also calculated percent daily values (% DV) for each nutrient.
Data source: USDA – Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled
| Nutrient | Per 100g (% DV) | Per 50g large egg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 155 kcal | 78 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 1.12g (<1%) | 0.56g (<1%) |
| Fiber | 0g (0%) | 0g (0%) |
| Sugars | 1.12g | 0.56g |
| Fat | 10.6g (14%) | 5.3g (7%) |
| Saturated fat | 3.27g (16%) | 1.64g (8%) |
| Monounsaturated fat | 4.08g | 2.04g |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.41g | 0.71g |
| Omega-3 | 0.08g | 0.04g |
| Omega-6 | 1.34g | 0.67g |
| Protein | 12.6g (25%) | 6.3g (13%) |
| Cholesterol | 373 mg (124%) | 186 mg (62%) |
Note: Although eggs are generally low in omega-3, it is possible to buy omega-3-enriched eggs that provide higher levels of this essential fat.
Related: Are Omega-3 Eggs Healthier? A Science-Backed Guide
Vitamins
| Vitamin | Per 100g (% DV) | Per 50g large egg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 149 mcg (17%) | 75 mcg (8%) |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg (0%) | 0 mg (0%) |
| Vitamin D | 2.2 mcg (11%) | 1.1 mcg (6%) |
| Vitamin E | 1.03 mg (7%) | 0.52 mg (3%) |
| Vitamin K | 0.3 mcg (<1%) | 0.15 mcg (<1%) |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.07 mg (6%) | 0.03 mg (3%) |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.51 mg (39%) | 0.26 mg (20%) |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.06 mg (<1%) | 0.03 mg (<1%) |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 1.4 mg (28%) | 0.7 mg (14%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg (7%) | 0.06 mg (4%) |
| Folate (B9) | 44 mcg (11%) | 22 mcg (6%) |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.11 mcg (46%) | 0.56 mcg (23%) |
| Choline | 294 mg (53%) | 147 mg (27%) |
As the table illustrates, eggs are high in riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B12, and choline per 100 grams, with more than 20% of the daily value for each.
Minerals
| Mineral | Per 100g (% DV) | Per 50g large egg (% DV) |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 50 mg (4%) | 25 mg (2%) |
| Iron | 1.19 mg (7%) | 0.60 mg (3%) |
| Magnesium | 10 mg (2%) | 5 mg (1%) |
| Phosphorus | 172 mg (14%) | 86 mg (7%) |
| Potassium | 126 mg (3%) | 63 mg (1%) |
| Sodium | 124 mg (5%) | 62 mg (3%) |
| Zinc | 1.05 mg (10%) | 0.53 mg (5%) |
| Copper | 0.01 mg (1%) | 0.01 mg (1%) |
| Manganese | 0.03 mg (1%) | 0.01 mg (<1%) |
| Selenium | 30.8 mcg (56%) | 15.4 mcg (28%) |
Eggs are high in selenium, providing more than 50% of the daily value per 100 grams.
Eggs: A Good or Bad Choice?
In summary, there is mixed evidence on eggs just like there is with many different foods.
While some observational research does suggest small associations between higher egg intake and slightly increased mortality risk, there are several different variables to consider, and it is hard to state that eggs are specifically the cause of this.
Since eggs are also nutrient-rich and can significantly increase choline, selenium, and B vitamin intake, including them in the diet can help support nutrient adequacy. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 also encourages egg intake, specifically stating that eggs are rich in protein and a nutrient-dense source of key nutrients.
The current evidence from scientific research also appears to support that eggs can be part of a healthy dietary pattern. However, while the current evidence from systematic reviews is mixed and has limitations, it suggests an intake of one egg per day (or seven per week) may be more preferable than higher intakes.
Related: Learn how different types of eggs differ nutritionally.
