A hard-boiled egg is convenient, quick to prepare and costs only about 9 cents per serving. To cook, you place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Once you bring the water to a boil, you allow the eggs to simmer for about 10 minutes. Then you simply run them under cold water, peel and serve. A hard-boiled egg is a good addition to a healthy breakfast and makes a nutritious snack as well.
Calories
A hard-boiled egg contains only about 80 calories, making it an ideal choice for a weight-loss meal plan. To successfully drop unwanted pounds, you must burn more calories than you consume. By incorporating low-calorie foods, such as eggs, you satisfy hunger and increase energy levels, contributing to healthy weight loss.
Protein, Fat and Cholesterol
Protein is a nutrient that is necessary for healthy skin, nails, hair and muscles. A hard-boiled egg contains about 6 g of protein, or about 12 percent of the daily value. Getting adequate protein in your diet is also associated with weight control because it offers satiety and fuels your body for daily tasks and exercise. Some research shows that eating eggs for breakfast allows for more weight loss among dieters, reports the Egg Nutrition Center. Eggs contain high-quality protein, making them an ideal food for vegetarians. A whole egg also contains about 4.5 g of total fat, with 2.5 g of unsaturated fats, which are considered the healthy fats, as well as 1.5 g of saturated fats, the unhealthy fats. It also contains 215 mg of cholesterol. The fat and cholesterol are found only in the yolk.
Vitamins and Minerals
Hard-boiled eggs contain 13 essential nutrients that play a role in weight control, muscle health and brain and eye function. Choline is one of these minerals and an egg contains 23 percent of the daily value. Getting adequate choline is associated with brain and nerve health, memory and metabolism. Choline is especially important during pregnancy because it helps prevent birth defects and promotes healthy brain and eye development. Eggs also contain B vitamins, including folate, B-12, B-6 and riboflavin, which help your body use energy from the food you eat and aid in red cell development. Vitamins A and D are also present in eggs and are necessary for healthy immunity and bones. Hard-boiled eggs contain small amounts of calcium, iron and zinc, as well.
Antioxidants
Lutein and zeaxanthin are two antioxidants that you will get when you eat a hard-boiled egg. Antioxidants protect your body from free-radical damage that can lead to cancer. In addition, these antioxidants support healthy eyes and help prevent macular degeneration, which can occur as you age. Both antioxidants are found in the egg yolk, so opting to only eat egg whites won't provide you with the same benefits.
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