Eggs are an inexpensive source of high quality protein. Your body needs protein in large quantities to support muscle and organ function as well as cellular repair and growth. Protein can also help you manage your weight by increasing your feelings of fullness. Using eggs as your only protein source, however, limits your exposure to other crucial nutrients and may cause you to eat too much cholesterol and saturated fat.
Protein Needs
The average person needs a minimum of .36 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day, according to the Institute of Medicine. For a 150-lb. person, this amounts to 54 g per day. If you are an athlete, you may need even more protein -- up to .9 g per pound of body weight, or 135 g per day for your weight of 150 lbs.
Protein Content of Eggs
One large egg provides 6 g of protein. If you need 54 g of protein per day, you would need to eat nine whole eggs per day. Along with those nine eggs, you would also take in 45 g of fat, 18 g of which are saturated. You would also consume 1,899 mg of cholesterol -- the American Heart Association recommends not exceeding 300 mg in one day.
Amino Acid Profile
A need for nine eggs assumes eggs are the only source of protein you get. Many foods contain protein, including poultry, fish, meat, dairy and soy. These foods, along with eggs, are a complete protein, meaning they contain all the amino acids that your body cannot produce. You also get protein from fruits, nuts, beans, vegetables and grains. These proteins are incomplete, meaning that they lack one or more of the essential amino acids. You can pair these incomplete proteins with one another -- beans and rice, for example -- to create a complete protein. You do not have to put them together at a specific meal either. Eating a variety of these foods throughout the day is enough to get you a complete protein profile.
Strategy
You can benefit from the protein in eggs without consuming too much saturated fat and cholesterol. Stick to just four eggs per week and get additional egg protein from the whites, which offer 3 g of protein each with no fat or cholesterol. You should include some whole eggs because the yolk contains additional nutrients, including B vitamins, choline, lutein and zeaxanthin. Consider adding other protein sources to your diet to help you get a balanced array of vitamins and minerals.
References
- The Vegetarian Resource Group: Protein in the Vegan Diet;by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D.
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids; September 2002
- "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition"; Position Stand: Protein and Exercise; Bill Campbell, et al.; September 2007
- Incredible Egg: Egg Nutrients
- MedlinePlus: Protein in Diet
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