Protein, one of the three main types of macronutrients, serves as a source of energy and essential amino acids. Your body needs amino acids to build the thousands of proteins needed to support normal body reactions and to build and repair cells and tissues. Although eggs contain fat and dietary cholesterol, they are packed with nutrients and protein.
Daily Protein Intake
The Institute of Medicine provides several types of recommendations for protein intake. One recommendation sets the recommended amount of protein to consume each day as a percentage of your total calorie intake. This means that your protein intake depends upon your gender, age and weight. Protein should make up between 10 and 35 percent of your total calories, for the average adult. The Institute of Medicine also recommends you consume 0.8 g of protein for each kilogram of body weight, which correlates to about 8 g of protein per 20 lbs. of body weight.
Complete vs. Incomplete
Proteins consist of amino acids, known as the building blocks of proteins. The human body needs 20 amino acids to support the biological activities. Of those 20 amino acids, your body can internally produce 10. You must consume the other 10 amino acids, known as the essential amino acids, in your diet. Animal-derived foods, including meat, dairy products and eggs, contain complete proteins; this means that the protein contains all of the essential amino acids. Vegetable food sources like beans, seeds and nuts contain protein, but the protein does not contain all of the essential amino acids, making them incomplete proteins.
Protein in Eggs
Eggs contain complete protein with the amino acids arranged in a near perfect pattern, making the protein easy for the body to use, according to the American Egg Board. One large egg provides 6.3 g of protein. Those who want to reduce their intake of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, both substances that increase your blood cholesterol level and your risk for heart disease, often choose to eat only the egg white. Contrary to popular belief, the egg white does not contain all of the protein. The egg white contains approximately 3.6 g of protein while the yolk contains 2.7 g of protein. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that healthy people can safely consume one egg per day without increasing their risk of heart disease due to the fat and cholesterol content of eggs.
Benefits
The high-quality protein found in eggs provides many health benefits. Eating an egg in the morning sustains your energy level for a longer period of time, which reduces your need and desire to snack. In this way eggs can help you maintain a healthy weight. For active adults, eating an egg following exercise encourages muscle tissue growth and repair, which helps you build and strengthen your muscles. For older adults, eating eggs in moderation can help you prevent the breakdown of muscle tissue that leads to loss of muscle.
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