Eating an egg a day. How many chicken eggs can you eat per day?

I found a very interesting article: Eggs: all the pros and cons Over the past decades, a lot of bad things have been said about eggs, but recent scientific research showed that there is no need to avoid eating eggs at all. They contain many necessary for the body nutrients, including essential and minerals, as well as antioxidants that help against certain diseases. And, contrary to popular belief, eggs do not raise cholesterol levels. Therefore, eating one egg a day is very possible. Interestingly, according to some data, Japan is recognized as the world leader in egg consumption. Every resident of the country Rising Sun eats, on average, one egg a day - in Japan there is even a famous children's song "Tamago, Tamago!" The Russians are still noticeably behind in this competition. Experts believe that the reason for everything is the variety of semi-finished and instant products. The most common foods consumed are chicken, duck, and goose eggs, and less commonly, turkey, quail, and ostrich eggs. Some people refuse to eat eggs (most often such refusal is typical for vegetarians, vegans and animal rights activists), explaining their refusal for various reasons, sometimes having nothing to do with the actual state of affairs and contributing to the emergence of various myths about this product. How good or bad are eggs? Let's try to determine this. Eggs are a valuable product, especially for young and growing organisms. In addition to protein, the yolk contains a lot of fat and phosphatides, a significant amount of iron, easily digestible calcium and phosphorus, iodine, zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, D E, niacin (vitamin B3), biotin and vitamin B12, and choline. Despite rich content cholesterol, eggs are needed in the diet even for older people. A medium-sized egg contains 86 calories, 6.5 g of protein (that's 14% of women's daily value and 12% of men's daily value), 6.4 g of fat (of which 1.8 g is saturated). Almost the weight of fat is contained in the yolk; the white accounts for less than 0.05% of the fat. Egg white has high biological value, since it contains all the basic amino acids. Nutritional value eggs can increase due to special food laying hens, for example, produce eggs enriched with selenium. Recent studies, which however require further confirmation of their results, have shown that regular consumption of eggs reduces the risk of breast development in teenage girls. Despite losses during cooking and frying, you should not drink raw eggs, since egg white contains ovidin, which binds gastrointestinal tract vitamin B1, and ovomucoid - inhibitor gastric enzyme trypsin. Already during short-term boiling of eggs (soft-boiled), ovomucoid and ovidin coagulate, and unwanted microorganisms die. Since eggs are not boiled for long, scrambled eggs and omelettes are fried in a matter of minutes, the nutritional value of eggs remains almost unchanged during cooking; Only some vitamins are destroyed, and even then only a little - up to 10%. According to scientists at the University of Florida, increased content Eggs in the diet are not harmful to health, do not contribute to changes in lipid and cholesterol levels in the blood, and do not affect the development of cardiovascular disorders. On the contrary, epidemiologists have found an association of a reduced risk of death among men who eat one to six eggs per week, and a reduced risk among women. Probably, there are so many myths and misconceptions about any of the products (except perhaps competitors - sugar and salt)! Let's try to figure out where the truth is. Eggs increase blood cholesterol levels. Indeed, an egg contains about 213 mg of cholesterol, which by more than two-thirds covers the daily limit of this substance (300 mg), which is not recommended to be exceeded. But, firstly, eggs also contain phospholipids, which help reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and secondly, according to doctors, although eggs increase cholesterol levels, they do not increase them by much. In addition, this kind of impact is fully compensated by the presence of nutrients in eggs that have a positive effect on the body. Eggs can be eaten by everyone and in any quantity. This is not entirely true. Daily value for healthy person- 1-2 eggs, no more. Because if you are offered to “sit on egg diet", promising an excellent result if you consume 5-6 eggs during the day - it’s better to give up and look for a more balanced weight loss recipe. When, as well as in the menu of older people, it is allowed to include one egg daily. At a young age, it is useful to include two eggs in the diet daily - boiled or in the form of scrambled eggs, omelette. dietary nutrition preference is given to soft-boiled eggs - they are easier to digest in the gastrointestinal tract. Use chicken eggs increases the risk of heart attack or stroke. This is wrong. According to the testimony of doctors who observed almost 120 thousand people for 14 years, heart attacks and strokes in those who ate 7-14 eggs per week did not occur more often than in those who limited the consumption of this product to once a week or less often. Eggs are very high in calories. In fact, one egg contains only 75 kilocalories, which is not that much. Eggs are low in vitamins. Absolutely erroneous opinion. Eggs contain 13 vitamins (A, B1, B2, B6, B12, E, D), biotin, folate and methionine, as well as many minerals (calcium, iron, etc.).

Eggs are a versatile product: they can be fried, boiled, added to salads and soups, or served as an independent dish. Many people eat several eggs a day without even knowing whether they are causing damage to their body. It turns out that frequent consumption of eggs causes some changes and entails consequences. In this article you will find out what exactly is contained in one egg, how often you can eat it, and also what will happen if you bypass this recommendation.

What's in one egg?

The set of microelements and vitamins is the same in each egg, but their quantity directly depends on the weight of the product itself. Do not forget that chicken eggs are sold in different categories: from small eggs of the third category to large ones - the highest. On average, the weight of one boiled egg is 50 grams without shell.

Now let's look at the list of elements in an egg per 100 grams of its weight:

  • Most of all there is water in an egg. It is 75 grams out of a total of 100 grams.
  • Next comes the protein. Its weight is approximately 12 grams.
  • Fats weigh about the same - 11 grams.
  • There are practically no carbohydrates in eggs, they amount to only 0.8 g.
  • After this comes cholesterol, vitamins and microelements.

If you divide all the received data in half, you will find out chemical composition one egg.

Why is high consumption of eggs harmful?

First of all, it is cholesterol. Although this element is divided into “bad” cholesterol and “good” cholesterol, it can still cause some damage to the body, especially if you have problems with the content of this substance.

One egg contains approximately 280 mg of pure cholesterol. Its concentration is contained in the yolk. If you completely remove the yolk from an egg, there will be no cholesterol left in it.

The remaining elements are useful or harmless to the human body. They may be prohibited only in case of individual intolerance.


How many eggs can you eat per day?

  • For example, a person weighing 60 kg can consume up to 120 grams of protein per day without harm to health. If you exceed the norm, this will lead to a failure in normal operation stomach. Also overconsumption protein leads to the formation of kidney stones.
  • If one egg contains about 12 grams of protein, then the maximum will be 10 medium-weight eggs. Remember that this is the maximum protein threshold. Of course, ten eggs is too much if you eat the yolk with cholesterol and fat.

Experts recommend eating 4-6 eggs per week, so you're better off eating one egg a day, sometimes skipping meals. Currently, studies on the dangers of eggs on the body have been carried out repeatedly, and all of them have confirmed the harmlessness of this product, if you rationally consider the harm from protein.

We can say that egg consumption comes down to the golden rule: “It’s good in moderation.” Don't exclude them from your diet, but don't overeat either.


There is a lot of debate about how many eggs you can eat per day, partly inspired by medical concerns, partly by everyday experience. But they are all, one way or another, built on one thing. Eggs are one of the best sources proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the ideal ratio in which the body needs them. By composition

and their usefulness can only be compared with mushrooms, beans, low-fat cottage cheese or chicken meat, but they also have their own catch. Medical research showed that consumption large quantity eggs increases the risk coronary disease, promotes the accumulation of cholesterol in the body and favors the formation of plaques in blood vessels. All this sounds scary, but that’s how things stand in real life, far from medical terms? Let's figure out how many eggs you can eat per day without risk to health or harm to the body.

For athletes

Weightlifters, especially bodybuilders, often brush aside all the warnings of doctors, since their experience shows that eggs are absolutely harmless

for a person engaged in intense training, since when high level metabolism characteristic of athletes, they are absorbed faster than they can do harm. To the question “how many eggs can athletes eat per day”, the answer is clear - no more than 4-6 eggs per day, taking into account their consumption raw at breakfast or after a hard workout. This is due to the fact that it is at this time that our body needs proteins and carbohydrates the most, which means that cholesterol, which nutritionists are so afraid of, simply does not have time to form and be deposited in the blood. And even doctors confirm this. But if with daily norm everything is clear, the question of how many eggs you can eat per week still remains open. Constant consumption is not always beneficial, and certainly not in such volumes, but athletes solve this issue very simply: as a rule, every other day they take a break, consuming additional source protein and gainers.

For ordinary people

If with people leading active image life, everything is extremely clear, then the question arises: “How many eggs can someone eat per day who spends most of it motionless, sitting position"Here the numbers are much more modest: no more than 1-2 pieces per day, taking into account a two-three day break for every five days. And all again thanks to the influence of our metabolism on the formation of cholesterol. This is understandable - the smaller we are move, the more prone we are to accumulating excess fat, and, accordingly, over time we completely lose the habit of training our

circulatory system and heart. And consuming a lot of eggs, fried potatoes, meat or mushrooms becomes for us not only junk food, but also real poison.

So, in the examples we have given, we answered the question “how many eggs can you eat a day” in some detail, but do not forget about natural features every organism. In particular, you should check your blood cholesterol levels at least once every six months in order to avoid the risk of unwanted diseases and correctly plan your daily diet.

You've probably heard more than once that you can't eat a lot of eggs, because they contain a lot of cholesterol, which is very harmful to our health, or vice versa - that you need to eat a lot of eggs - because they contain a lot of protein, which is so necessary for our body. So let's then figure out how many eggs you can have per day and in what form it is better to eat eggs.
So, let's start with protein. Eggs - ideal source squirrel. According to health and fitness experts, if you really want to lose... overweight, build sculpted muscles and become stronger, then eggs should become your best friends. They contain less protein than meat, but it is the protein from eggs that helps us achieve all these noble goals. So how many eggs should you eat per day? Are raw eggs healthy? And also, there were quite a few stories in which people consumed two dozen eggs a day - and all for the benefit of their muscles. Is this normal? After all, we all know that too much of something is always harmful. So how much is “too much”?

Eggs are an ideal source of protein

It is obvious that eggs are good for health, although at the same time, they are one of the most controversial products in terms of their usefulness and uselessness. This happens because in egg whites high concentration of cholesterol. A medium-sized egg (about 50 grams) contains 70 calories, 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 185 milligrams of cholesterol and 0 carbohydrates. Eggs also contain vitamins A, D, B6, B12, D, riboflavin, folic acid, calcium, iron, zinc. But it is the protein contained in eggs that has the greatest nutritional value. It doesn’t matter what you want - to get pumped up, lose weight or just keep your body in good shape - best friend Why can't you find eggs!

Although, in spite of everything, recent studies with their results make us think about the benefits egg yolks and refute rumors about their harmfulness. If you eat eggs every day, it does not have a significant effect on your blood cholesterol levels. That is, the risks of developing stroke and cardiovascular diseases have nothing to do with regularly eating eggs. One or two eggs a day are not harmful to your health. How about five? Ten? Fifteen? If you suffer from a lack of carbohydrates and plan to increase muscle mass, then more than five pieces a day will only benefit you.

So, eggs contain cholesterol - this is not a very pleasant fact. BUT! This in no way means that eating eggs causes serious cardiovascular disease. A much more serious impact on your health and physique is saturated fats. Numerous studies confirm that cholesterol derived from dietary products cannot in any way affect its content in our blood. In addition, eggs contain enriched Omega-3 fats. They reduce the concentration of triglycerides (monobasic fatty acids) in the blood.

Dietary cholesterol and cholesterol in our blood have nothing to do with each other

And now a little interesting information. The average Japanese eats about 328 eggs per year. With all this, the Japanese have a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity. In addition, the level of cholesterol in the blood of the Japanese is much lower than, for example, that of Americans. After all, the majority of Americans fry eggs along with bacon, salami and smoked cheese. In this combination, the level of cholesterol in the blood leads to obesity, strokes, problems with the heart, blood vessels, and even diabetes.

Eggs have only a minimal effect on blood cholesterol levels. This minor impact in no way compares to the usefulness of this product.

So, eat the whole egg - after all, it is a versatile source of protein, minerals and vitamins. Eggs work like a small power plant that supplies our body with the necessary energy in the form of beneficial antioxidants, amino acids, folic acid, choline, lutein, zeaxanthin and many others. Low calorie content makes eggs ideal allies in weight loss.

Are raw eggs safe?

So what about raw eggs? Are they good for protein and milkshakes? Before you eat a raw egg, think twice. It may contain salmonella(bacterium responsible for serious eating disorders) – of course, not in every egg, but there is always a slight risk.

But besides salmonella, there is one more point. Human body is able to process only 50% of the protein contained in a raw egg. Cooked eggs are completely digestible (98% of the protein is completely digestible). That is, eating five medium meals a day raw eggs, you absorb 30 grams of protein, of which only 15 are absorbed.

Eating raw eggs also leads to deficiency biotinwater-soluble vitamin group B.

Video about the benefits and harms of eggs for athletes

The risks of eating raw eggs are, of course, not fatal, but they do exist. This is only half the absorption of protein and a deficiency of biotin in the body. After all, there are so many in the most delicious ways cook eggs - why eat them raw and experience even such, albeit small, difficulties?

They are a valuable food product. There are a number of misconceptions regarding their supposed harm to health. In fact, eggs that have undergone due heat treatment, cannot pose a danger to the human body. This is an excellent source of proteins that are much easier to digest than protein from other types of animal foods. However, not everyone knows how often you can eat eggs. Some believe that you can eat this product as much as you want, while others practically refuse to eat it. Let's find out how things really are!

Table of contents:

Nutritional value of chicken eggs

Chicken eggs contain a number of amino acids, vitamins, micro- and macroelements and mineral compounds.

The most important substances:

Amino acid composition of egg white:

  • glutamic acid;
  • aspartic;
  • leucine;
  • isoleucine;
  • lysine;
  • serine;
  • threonine

Important:The proteins of this product are absorbed almost 100%! Therefore, eggs are not only possible, but must be eaten! How often is another question. More about him a little later.

Waterfowl eggs

Some people believe that you can only eat chicken and quail eggs, but this is not true - the nutritional value of duck and goose is even higher. But it is advisable to boil waterfowl eggs for at least 15 minutes, since the likelihood of the presence of dangerous bacteria slightly higher.

Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?

A high level in the blood threatens the development, and this, in turn, leads to other diseases of the cardiovascular system.

A medium-sized chicken egg contains about 200-270 mg of cholesterol (mainly in the yolk) and 5 g of fat. Indeed, this is a lot. However, large-scale studies conducted by nutritionists convincingly indicate that this product has virtually no effect on general level cholesterol. It increased slightly (within safe numbers) in only 30% of the subjects.

So what should a person with high cholesterol do? How often can he eat eggs? If you already have high cholesterol, we can recommend periodically cooking scrambled eggs from 1 yolk and 2-3 whites. Lecithin contained in eggs is capable of dissolving and is necessary for normal functional activity nerve cells. You should not artificially limit the intake of this protein into the body.

The optimal balance of fatty acids is found in eggs obtained from laying hens not in a poultry farm, but in “free range” conditions, in other words, from village chickens.

Are eggs digestible well?

There is an opinion that eggs are a “heavy” food that is not very well digested and puts a high burden on the body. digestive system. This statement is not true.

The raw product and soft-boiled eggs are easily digested within 1-2 hours. Relatively poor digestibility characterized by denatured (coagulated during heat treatment) protein, so the body will need about 3 hours to digest a well-fried scrambled or hard-boiled egg. It should be noted that meat fibers are digested much worse, even if there is diet cutlets and steamed meatballs.

Are eggs dangerous for the liver?

Is it possible to eat eggs while eating? We often hear that consuming large quantities of eggs has a negative effect on liver function. This statement is completely false! In addition to proteins and vitamin compounds, this product contains the amino acids methionine and choline, which have a very beneficial effect on the liver.

Compounds present in the yolk stimulate peristalsis of the gallbladder, preventing cholestasis (stagnation of bile). Normal bile flow, in turn, promotes the absorption of lipids in the intestine. Persons suffering from liver diseases are not recommended to consume eggs with mayonnaise, ketchup and other hot sauces and seasonings.

Important:It is advisable to reduce egg consumption if diagnosed! Increased peristalsis due to the presence of stones in the bladder or bile ducts provokes colic, i.e. pain syndrome high intensity. This is the only valid reason for refusing valuable product nutrition.

Is it possible to eat eggs every day?

Some nutritionists recommend consuming eggs no more than two to three times a week. Of course, the diet should be varied; it should include other sources of protein (both animal and plant origin). T.n. Food conservatism can lead to metabolic disorders over time. But a person who does not suffer from serious chronic diseases and leading an active lifestyle, it is quite possible to eat 2-3 eggs a day without any harm to health.

Moreover, the complete exclusion of this product from the diet is dangerous, since the body is deprived of easily digestible protein and a number of other valuable compounds. And yet, how often can you eat eggs during the week? Experts believe that during this period of time it is quite justified to consume from 6-7 to 10-15 eggs.

Important:The body of a healthy person produces more cholesterol per day than can be obtained through nutritional means by eating a dozen eggs!

Eggs and salmonellosis

From time to time, outbreaks are recorded in various regions of our country. This disease belongs to the group of acute intestinal infections. One of the main products, the consumption of which leads to infection, are eggs that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment (as well as culinary products that contain them).

According to statistics, bacteria of the genus Salmonella are found in fresh chicken eggs with a frequency of 1:7000. The risk of infection increases when the product is stored in violation of basic recommendations. Before cooking, it is recommended to wash eggs thoroughly warm water with soap. Refrigerator drawers should also be regularly treated using detergents. If an outbreak of salmonellosis is recorded in the area, then in order to minimize the likelihood of infection, it is recommended to avoid consuming raw and soft-boiled eggs, as well as fried eggs.

How long do eggs stay fresh?

The freshness of eggs directly depends not only on the timing, but also on the conditions of their storage. They need to be kept in the refrigerator; otherwise, they are considered stale after just a week.

Please note:It is advisable to place eggs in refrigerator compartments with the pointed end down. This reduces the pressure on the natural air gap between the shell and the protein, which slightly increases the shelf life (such eggs can be stored and eaten for 3 weeks).

It is dangerous to store eggs with cracked shells as there is a high risk of penetration into the contents. pathogenic bacteria. If even a weak one appeared bad smell, the egg cannot be eaten even after a long heat treatment.

The color of the yolks varies from pale yellow to deep orange or reddish. You can often hear the opinion that eggs with bright yolks are healthier. This is wrong. This feature is determined only by the composition of the feed that the bird received.

Do eggs make you fat?

Although the high nutritional value of eggs is undeniable, their consumption does not lead to weight gain. extra pounds. Overweight most often caused by metabolic disorders in the body and excess consumption " fast carbohydrates" Eggs are even included in some special weight loss diets. They contain about 13% easily digestible protein and 155 calories per 100 g of product. Thus, the average chicken egg contains from 60 to 80 calories.

How many eggs can children eat?

Eggs are very healthy for children! In a growing body, they become more active metabolic processes, and the child needs more energy. Previously, mothers started with eggs at 4 months. However, today pediatricians have completely abandoned this practice. This is due to the fact that the fats in the yolk can cause quite swipe because the child’s liver is not yet fully formed, and the product itself often provokes the development of allergies.

Today you will no longer hear doctors say that a child can eat eggs before the age of six months. At the same time, it is recommended to give a six-month-old toddler egg yolk only if he does not have. If there is such a predisposition, then it is better to postpone the baby’s acquaintance with the egg until later. late date– by 9-12 months of the child’s life.

Moreover, some leading Russian pediatricians categorically prohibit parents from giving egg yolk, much less egg white, before a year.

Please note: introduction egg yolk starts with a minimum dose equal to the size of a match head. In this case, the yolk must be hard-boiled.

For children preschool age You can give 1 piece per day without any fear for their health. The exception is children with a diagnosed allergy to this product.

Important:best given to children; the likelihood of developing an allergy to them is close to zero. In addition, salmonellosis is not detected in quails.

How often can you eat eggs during pregnancy?

Eggs are a must for expectant mothers. They are an integral part of optimal balanced diet nutrition. The choline present in them greatly reduces the risk of developmental disorders of the fetal neural tube. In addition, an egg is exactly the product that will allow you to get enough energy without the risk of gaining excess weight. You shouldn’t eat them raw during pregnancy, because you shouldn’t discount the possibility of salmonellosis infection.

During pregnancy, the level of hemoglobin may decrease. Iron is required to normalize it. This trace element, as well as potassium and phosphorus, is especially abundant in quail eggs. This product does not cause allergies; it contains the protein ovomocide, which suppresses hypersensitivity reactions.

Chumachenko Olga, medical observer