Nutrition Information For Egg Yolks

Egg yolks offer multiple nutrients. Because they contain more fat and calories than the white, dieters often discard them. Egg yolks are also vilified for their high cholesterol content. Despite their potential dietary pitfalls, egg yolks play a role in a healthy diet.

Calories and Macronutrients

One large egg yolk contains 54 calories and 4.51 g of fat. Egg yolks provide 2.7 g of protein of the total 6.29 g in one whole egg. An egg yolk has almost no carbohydrates.

Other Nutrients

A large egg yolk provides 22 mg of calcium, about 2 percent of the daily recommended amount. It also offers the micronutrients selenium, choline and lutein. One egg yolk provides about 3 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin E.

Cholesterol

One egg yolk contains about 213 mg of cholesterol. People with normal cholesterol levels should take in less than 300 mg daily, says the American Heart Association. An egg or two at breakfast means a person should cut back on other foods high in cholesterol like half-and-half or fatty meats during the day. People who take blood cholesterol-lowering prescriptions or who have been told by their doctor that they have high LDL cholesterol should eat less than 200 mg of cholesterol a day and limit their egg intake.

Antioxidants

Lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids -- a group of antioxidants -- found egg yolks are particularly effective in treating age-related macular degeneration. In a University of Massachusetts study published in the American Society for Nutrition's "Journal of Nutrition," October 2006, lead researcher Adam J. Wenzel concluded that eating a whole egg with the yolk six times per week may be an effective way to improve vision. The carotenoids in eggs seem to be more bioavailable than those found in other seemingly higher sources like spinach.

Caution

Cook egg yolks until set to greatly reduce the risk of contracting salmonella. Eggs and egg yolks are considered major food allergens. If food allergies run in your family, be cautious when introducing eggs to children. However, postponing exposure to eggs will not prevent an allergy from developing, says Baby Center.