Nutritional Facts on Ostrich Eggs

Ostrich eggs contain protein, vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, manganese and selenium. According to A Life of Heritage, an ostrich egg tastes a little sweeter than a chicken egg.

By any measure you choose, you won't find any bird egg out there that's larger than, or even as large as, an ostrich egg. These delicious monstrosities are 3.5 to 5 pounds, according to the American Ostrich Association.

Melissa Hooper, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, tells us that the main benefits of ostrich egg nutrition include that they are rich in protein and contain all of the essential amino acids. Ostrich eggs are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for a healthy heart and beneficial for eyesight.

Hooper also advises on ostrich egg nutrition and practicality, saying, "one ostrich egg contains approximately 2000 calories, 100g fat and 235g protein. Think of it like this – just one of these eggs can weigh up to 5 pounds, takes 45-90 minutes to cook (soft vs. hard boiled egg) and is equivalent to having 28 large chicken eggs. So, it's really not a practical food source".

Hooper also explains that even though there are 2000 calories, an ostrich egg is also loaded with nutrients. Plus, the percentage of cholesterol is lower in an ostrich egg when compared to the cholesterol content of a chicken egg. She goes on to say, "But then again, you can't compare one, normal chicken egg to an egg that's 6-7 inches long and weighs five pounds".

If you could eat an entire ostrich egg by yourself you'd be getting a whole lot of ostrich egg calories, 2000, to be exact, according to Hooper. According to Health.gov's Dietary Guidelines, the amount of calories you need per day ranges from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 calories per day for adult men. Ostrich egg calories are enormous. You could meet your entire calorie needs with one ostrich egg.

One ostrich egg provides 100 grams of fat and 235 grams of protein, according to Hooper. That's a lot of fat and ostrich egg protein. The Cleveland Clinic recommends you get 20 to 35 percent of total calories from fat, which is approximately 44 to 77 grams of fat daily if you are on a 2000 calorie diet. One ostrich egg could provide you with enough fat for more than one day.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, you need 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For example, according to USDA's DRI Calculator, a 30-year-old woman who is 5 feet 5 inches, weighs 150 pounds and is sedentary needs 55 grams of protein per day. One ostrich egg would provide this woman with enough ostrich egg protein for more than 4 days.

This is just an example to show just how much nutrients an ostrich egg contains. We are not recommending you eat an entire ostrich egg by yourself.