Egg casserole combines eggs, sausage, bread, milk and cheddar cheese in a baked dish that's usually served at breakfast. Egg casserole has vitamins and minerals, nutritious carbohydrates and protein, but it also has fat, cholesterol and sodium. It's a healthy breakfast dish if it's eaten in moderation.
Calories
One usual serving of egg casserole has about 250 calories. As a rule, you need more calories than this for a healthy breakfast. Columbia University's Go Ask Alice website reports that your breakfast should have 350 to 500 calories to supply you with sufficient energy. You can boost the calorie level of your breakfast by having a nutritious glass of fruit or vegetable juice.
Fat and Cholesterol
Because of the eggs and sausage, this dish is high in fat and cholesterol -- one serving has 13 g of fat and 150 mg of cholesterol. It is not all bad news, though. Only 5 g of that fat is saturated. This is still 1/3 of the recommended limit for daily saturated fat, but you can stay under the limit if you carefully monitor the remainder of your meals. The 150 mg of cholesterol in an egg casserole represents half the suggested cholesterol for a 24-hour period. You can decrease the fat and cholesterol by reducing the quantity of sausage in the recipe -- 1 oz. per serving -- or by using egg substitute or egg whites instead of whole eggs.
Carbohydrates and Protein
A serving of egg casserole has 15 g of carbohydrates, or 4.6 to 6.6 percent of the quantity you should have each day to meet your energy requirements. You also take in 16 g of quality protein per serving. It meets a considerable portion of the amount you need each day: 46 to 56 g.
Vitamins and Minerals
Egg casserole is a good source of calcium, with 15 percent of the daily recommended intake. The calcium in this dish promotes healthy bones, warding off brittle bones that easily break -- especially as you get older. You also get 6 percent of the vitamin A and iron you should eat each day.
Benefits
Having eggs for breakfast is a smart choice if you are trying to lose weight. A study published in the August 2008 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity" found that those who ate two eggs for breakfast had a greater weight loss than those who ate a bagel. Study participants experienced this weight loss over a period of eight weeks. Egg casserole calls for bread, though, which can reduce the weight-loss benefits of this dish.
Considerations
Be mindful of sodium intake in the remainder of your diet when you have egg casserole. One serving of this dish has 450 mg of sodium, which is nearly 1/3 of the what you should have each day. Consider using low-sodium bread to reduce the sodium content of your meal, as bread is moderately high in sodium. You also get sodium from the remainder of the ingredients in this casserole.
References
- Kids A Cookin: Overnight Egg Casserole
- Go Ask Alice! Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service; Breakfast: The First Chance to Fill Your Tank; February 2005
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Calcium; March 2009
- "International Journal of Obesity"; Egg Breakfast Enhances Weight Loss; J.S. Vander Wal, et al.; August 2008
- American Heart Association; American Heart Association Supports Lower Sodium Limits for Most Americans; March 2009
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