Facts About the Nutritional Value of Egg Yolk

Egg yolk, the yellow portion of egg is armed with a variety of nutrients. It does not matter how you prefer to eat egg yolk. Whether it's raw or cooked, it provides nutrients in substantial amounts. Most importantly, it is low in salt content, just 8 mg of sodium is contained in 1 egg yolk. No wonder, egg yolk nutrition facts state it's a healthy choice.

Although vitamin C isn't present in egg yolk, it does contain vitamin B12 and vitamin E in significant amounts. A raw yolk has 0.331 mcg of vitamin B12 and 0.684 mg of vitamin E. Vitamin A content is around 245 IU, thus it's intake can protect eyes from age related disorders. However, vitamin B6 and vitamin K content is less, 0.1 mg and 0.1 mcg respectively.

If you thought sunlight is the only natural source of vitamin D, think again as egg yolk is one of the few foodstuffs that also has vitamin D naturally. So, if you are unable to take a sunbath due to your hectic schedule and are worried about getting vitamin D deficiency, include egg everyday in your breakfast.

One egg yolk of a medium-sized egg delivers around 18 IU of vitamin D. Although it is not a high source of vitamin D, when compared to fish like sardines and tuna, nevertheless it satisfies 10% of your body's vitamin D requirement. So, one can say that egg yolk provides vitamin D in moderation.

An easy way to boost protein intake during lunch or breakfast, is to have egg yolk. Protein in egg yolk is found in appreciable amounts, hence eating eggs is considered good for health. It can certainly help to keep health in good shape. 1 yolk can supply approx. 2.7 gm of protein. Considering its protein content, egg yolk nutrition value is certainly high.

There is no doubt that egg yolk is loaded with cholesterol but people having healthy cholesterol levels can consume 1 egg yolk daily. 1 raw egg yolk contains around 210 mg of cholesterol. Being full of cholesterol, one should not consume more than one raw or boiled egg everyday.

Egg yolk is also a good source of calcium. Including calcium in the diet is essential to keep the bones healthy and strong. If you consume 1 egg yolk in your breakfast, your body gains around 22 mg of calcium. So, one can say that calcium is found significantly in egg yolk.

One raw egg yolk contains 4.51 g of fat. The unhealthy fat content is found to be 1.624 g but the good news is that it also has 'good' fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) in good amounts.

So, out of the total fat content (4.51 mg), the good fats contained in raw egg yolk is around 2.75 g. Another important constituent of raw egg yolk are healthy fats such as omega 3 essential fatty acids (38.8 mg) that ensure a healthy heart.

Potassium deficiency that puts a person in the risk zone of high blood pressure, can certainly be avoided by having egg yolk at meal times. 1 fresh raw egg yolk contains approximately 19 mg of potassium.

Studies show that low potassium levels have often been associated with hypertension. Therefore an easy way to insulate oneself from the symptoms of hypertension is to increase potassium intake, which can be easily achieved by having egg yolk everyday.

Selenium that behaves like an antioxidant, is also present in egg yolk. Increased level of selenium in the blood reduces the probability of suffering from dreaded diseases like skin and prostate cancer. Studies show that selenium content in raw egg yolk is approximately 9.5 mcg.

Egg yolks are also fortified with iron that can help to prevent iron deficiency anemia in children and adults. To increase blood iron levels that provide a wide range of health benefits, egg yolk is definitely a good choice. It is found that a raw egg yolk contains around 0.4 mg of iron.

How much calories does 1 raw egg yolk contain? Egg yolk is considered to have a high calorie content that mainly comes from fats. A raw egg yolk supplies around 55-60 calories.

Although, egg yolk contains high levels of saturated fats and cholesterol, that shouldn't deter you from eating it. With daily exercise, one can always burn those calories and fats that you would get consuming egg yolk. It's an excellent source of proteins and vitamins, that promote health when egg yolk servings are consumed in moderate amounts.