One egg a day keeps deficiencies away: Unpacking the nutritional powerhouse
Let's explore the nutritional value of an egg.
1:51 PM EST, January 15, 2024
Here’s what just one egg offers:
55.8% of the daily selenium requirement
53.4% of the daily vitamin B4 (choline) requirement
53.3% of the daily biotin (vitamin B7) requirement
37.8% of the daily molybdenum requirement
37.1% of the daily vitamin B12 requirement
35.2% of the daily riboflavin (vitamin B2) requirement
28% of the daily pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) requirement
17.8% of the daily vitamin A requirement
16.3% of the daily niacin (vitamin B3) requirement
15.8% of the daily phosphorus requirement
11.8% of the daily folic acid (vitamin B9) requirement
11.7% of the daily zinc requirement
10% of the daily vitamin D requirement
10% of the daily vitamin B6 requirement
9.7% of the daily iron requirement
8% of the daily copper requirement
7% of the daily vitamin E requirement
4.3% of the daily calcium requirement
3.3% of the daily thiamine (vitamin B1) requirement
2.9% of the daily magnesium requirement
2.9% of the daily potassium requirement
1.1% of the daily chromium requirement
0.9% of the daily manganese requirement
0.25% of the daily vitamin K requirement
Moreover, it contains 54 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids and 1.148 mg of Omega-5 fatty acids.
Wondering what a serious deficiency looks like? It often presents as a loss of taste and smell.
The cholesterol question
An egg has about 185 mg of cholesterol, all found in its yolk. But it's essential to differentiate between dietary cholesterol (found in food) and cholesterol produced by the body from consuming saturated fats.
Proceed with caution! Not everyone can consume eggs daily.
Many people don't know that saturated fats significantly influence blood cholesterol levels, more so than dietary cholesterol. They have twice the impact on blood cholesterol levels, as stated by Donald Hensrud, Professor of Preventive Medicine and Nutrition at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and a consultant in Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic.
While eggs contain cholesterol, they don't cause the body to produce cholesterol when eaten. However, those with high cholesterol or diabetes should still limit their intake to two or three eggs a week.
