Sunny-side up or down, fried eggs are a common way to prepare morning eggs. Frying eggs involves cracking them whole into a frying pan and cooking the yolks to varying degrees of doneness. Some fried eggs are never flipped, but hot fat is poured over the top to finish cooking the whites and the outside of the yolk. Understanding the nutrition of a fried egg helps you determine how to incorporate them into a healthy eating plan.
Calories and Macronutrients
A fried egg has about 19 calories and 2g of fat more than a whole, raw egg. A large, fried egg contains 90 calories and 7g of fat, 2g of which are saturated. Fried eggs contain only trace amounts of carbohydrates and 5g of protein each.
Vitamins and Minerals
Even when fried, eggs are a source of many vitamins and minerals. One large fried egg provides 7 percent of the recommended dietary allowance, based on a 2,000-calorie diet, for vitamin A, 4 percent for vitamin D, 3 percent for vitamin K, 2 percent for thiamin, 14 percent for riboflavin, 4 percent for vitamin B-6, 6 percent for folate, 11 percent for vitamin B-12 and 7 percent for pantothenic acid. An egg also offers 5 percent of the RDA for iron and 3 percent for calcium. A fried egg offers 10 percent of the RDA for phosphorus, 4 percent for zinc, 3 percent for copper and 22 percent for selenium.
Choline and Lutein
Whole eggs are a source of choline, with 125mg per fried egg. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends 425mg per day for women and 550mg per day for men of this nutrient essential to cell functioning. Whole eggs also contain 0.2mg of the antioxidant lutein, which helps support vision health. The USDA recommends most adults consume between 4mg and 8mg of lutein daily.
Cholesterol Concerns
One fried egg contains about 210mg of cholesterol. The American Heart Association advises keeping cholesterol intake to less than 300mg daily -- or less than 200mg if you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol. For most people, moderate consumption of eggs is acceptable in a heart-healthy diet, as long as you pay attention to your total overall intake from other foods, says the association.
Considerations
The fat used to fry your eggs impacts the how healthy the egg is for you. Use olive or safflower oil, instead of saturated-fat laden bacon fat or butter to support heart health. Over well, over hard, over medium, over easy and over light are all different variations on the fried egg. To prepare a fried egg without any significant added fat, use nonstick cooking spray. Try poaching or hard-boiling eggs as alternative, no-fat-added preparations.
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