Whether you prefer white or brown eggs, you'll obtain the same amount of nutrition because the shell's color is simply determined by breed, according to Food.com. Any type of egg you purchase delivers complete protein, nutrients essential to vision, iron, calcium and other important vitamins and minerals.
Definition
All values are for 1 large hen's egg weighing 50 g, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's nutrient values. Recommended daily values from the USDA are based on a daily diet of 2,000 calories, so your individual requirements may vary depending on the calories you consume.
Basic Nutrition
For only 53 calories and just 70 mg of sodium, you'll gain 6 g of complete protein. This represents a significant 12 percent of the recommended daily value (DV) for protein.
Cholesterol and Fat
One egg contains 212 mg of cholesterol. The Dietary Guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend consuming less than 300 mg a day of cholesterol, so 1 egg provides 70 percent of the total daily intake. You can eliminate cholesterol if you use only the egg whites because all of the cholesterol is located in the yolk, explains MayoClinic.com.
The total fat in 1 egg is only 5 g or 7 percent of the DV, which includes 2 g of saturated fat and 2.5 g of healthy, unsaturated fat.
Vitamins and Minerals
Eggs are a good source of riboflavin at 0.239 mg and vitamin B12 at 0.65 mg, which is 14 percent of the DV for riboflavin and 10 percent of the DV for vitamin B12. They're a great source of the mineral selenium, providing 15.85 mcg, or 22 percent of the DV. You'll also gain 9 percent DV of phosphorus at 95.5 mg, 5 percent of folate at 23.5 mcg and iron at 0.92 mg, 4 percent of vitamin A at 243.5 IU, 3 percent of vitamin B6 at 0.07 mg and 1 to 3 percent DV of all remaining essential minerals, including calcium and potassium.
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Lutein and zeaxanthin are essential nutrients for maintaining healthy eyes, where they function as antioxidants. They also help synthesize vitamin A, which is critical for night vision. Both nutrients are found in eggs, but only in the yolks. One large egg contains 0.2 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin. This provides 2.5 to 5 percent of the DV of 4 to 8 mg, according to LuteinInfo.com.
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