Fried eggs are one of the most commonly consumed breakfast foods in the United States, found everywhere from diner menus to home-cooked brunches. Eggs have great nutritional benefits, but this is tempered by their high cholesterol content. If you eat a fried egg, it's advisable to limit your cholesterol consumption for the rest of the day. Consult your doctor before making significant dietary changes.
Nutritional Information
According to information from the USDA standard nutrient database, a large oil-fried egg has a typical cooked weight of 46 g. If you consume both the yolk and the white of the egg, this fried egg contains 90 calories, 6.2 g. of protein, 6.8 g. of fat and less than 1 g of carbohydrates. There is virtually no sugar or dietary fiber in a fried egg.
Nutritional Benefits
The yolk of an egg contains many nutrients, vitamins and minerals, many of which are not commonly found in other foods. For example, egg yolk is a rich source of vitamins A and D. Folate, choline and retinol are also present in significant amounts in a fried egg. Both the white and the yolk of an egg are also rich in protein, and eggs are cheaper, by weight, than many meat-based protein sources.
Nutritional Disadvantages
Eggs have a relatively high content of both fat and cholesterol, concentrated in the nutrient-dense yolk. The USDA database indicates that a 46 g fried egg contains 184 mg of cholesterol, while MayoClinic.com reports that a single large egg can contain around 213 mg of cholesterol. Healthy adults are recommended to limit daily cholesterol intake to under 300 mg. For those with risk factors -- such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol or cardiovascular disease -- a lower daily limit of 200 mg is recommended.
Variables
The type of oil used to fry the egg will affect its nutritional profile. Frying in olive oil will increase the overall calorie and fat content, but it will also contribute less cholesterol and saturated fat than a heavy oil or cooking lard. The cholesterol and fat content of the egg will be lower if you choose eggs with a relatively small yolk and large white. Alternatively, you can separate the white and yolk of an egg before cooking, and only fry the white. This reduces the overall fat and cholesterol content of the egg while maintaining a high protein content.
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