Egg drop soup is a common Chinese dish made from eggs and chicken broth. Additional ingredients can include vegetables, tofu and a variety of spices. Egg drop soup is often served as an appetizer in restaurants, and can provide an abundance of nutritional benefits. It is low in calories and high in protein, making it an effective choice for dieters.
Total Calories
Egg drop soup is low in calories. One cup, or 8 oz., of egg drop soup has just 94 total calories. Of these 94 calories, 52 are from fat. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's standard 2,000-calorie nutrition label, a serving of egg drop soup represents about 5 percent of the typical adult's daily caloric needs.
Fat Calories
Fat is more calorie-dense than any other nutrient, with 9 calories per gram. Egg drop soup has 5.9 g of fat, representing 12 percent of the recommended daily allowance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A low-fat diet is recommended to prevent high cholesterol and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association.
Carbohydrate Calories
Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. A serving of egg drop soup has 4.2 g of carbohydrate, totaling about 16.8 calories from this nutrient. One serving of egg drop soup provides just 1 percent of the recommended daily allowance for carbohydrate, based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Carbohydrates are found in larger doses in the grains group, with foods like rice and barley.
Protein Calories
Due to its egg and chicken content, egg drop soup contains a substantial amount of protein. Each one-cup serving of egg drop soup has 5.9 g of protein, or about 12 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Protein also contains 4 calories per gram, so egg drop soup has about 24 calories from protein.
Calorie Balance
Regardless of total caloric need, your body requires a balanced diet with adequate quantities of the three macronutrients--fat, protein and carbohydrates. About 20 to 35 percent of your total calories should come from fat, 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates and 10 to 35 percent from protein, according to MayoClinic.com. About 55 percent of egg drop soup's calories are from fat, 18 percent from carbohydrates and 25 percent from protein.
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