A large boiled egg contains about 72 calories. That number shifts depending on the size of the egg, ranging from 54 calories for a small egg up to 90 for a jumbo. Since most cartons in the U.S. are sold as “large,” 72 calories is the number that applies to most people.
Calories by Egg Size
Egg sizes are standardized by weight, so the calorie counts are consistent regardless of brand:
- Small (38 g): 54 calories
- Medium (44 g): 63 calories
- Large (50 g): 72 calories
- Extra-large (56 g): 80 calories
- Jumbo (63 g): 90 calories
Boiling doesn’t add or remove calories compared to poaching or steaming. The cooking method only changes the calorie count when you add fat, like butter for frying or oil for scrambling.
Protein, Fat, and Carbs
One large boiled egg delivers about 6.3 grams of protein, 5.3 grams of fat, and just over half a gram of carbohydrate. That makes eggs essentially a zero-carb food, which is why they show up in nearly every low-carb and keto plan.
The protein in a boiled egg is also unusually well absorbed. Cooking changes the structure of egg proteins in a way that makes them easier for your body to use. Raw eggs deliver roughly 40% less usable protein than cooked ones, so eating them raw for fitness purposes is actually counterproductive.
Yolk vs. White
If you’re eating only the white, you’re getting about 20 calories and 4 grams of protein. The yolk carries the remaining 50 calories, about 2 grams of protein, and nearly all the fat. That split means the white is almost pure protein, while the yolk is where the calories concentrate.
But the yolk is also where most of the nutrition lives. A single egg yolk provides 169 mg of choline, a nutrient that supports brain function and that most people don’t get enough of. The yolk also contains the egg’s vitamin B12, vitamin D, and selenium. Tossing the yolk saves you about 50 calories but strips out the most nutrient-dense part of the egg.
Cholesterol in Eggs
A large egg yolk contains around 186 mg of cholesterol, which used to make eggs a nutritional villain. The current U.S. Dietary Guidelines no longer set a specific daily cholesterol limit but recommend keeping dietary cholesterol “as low as possible without compromising the nutritional adequacy of the diet.” Eggs are listed as a nutrient-dense protein food within a healthy dietary pattern.
For most healthy adults, eating one to three eggs a day does not meaningfully raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in your overall diet has a larger effect on blood cholesterol than the cholesterol in the egg itself. If you have existing heart disease or high cholesterol, your doctor may give you more specific guidance on quantity.
Why Eggs Keep You Full
Eggs punch above their calorie weight when it comes to satiety. A crossover study of 50 overweight and obese adults compared an egg-and-toast breakfast to a cereal-with-milk breakfast, both with the same number of calories. After the egg breakfast, participants ate significantly fewer calories at lunch, consuming roughly 765 fewer kilojoules (about 180 fewer calories) compared to the cereal day. They also reported feeling less hungry throughout the morning, with hunger returning more slowly.
This makes boiled eggs a practical choice for calorie control. Two large boiled eggs at breakfast give you about 144 calories and nearly 13 grams of protein, enough to reduce snacking before lunch without a large calorie investment.
Storage and Shelf Life
Hard-boiled eggs keep for up to one week in the refrigerator, whether peeled or unpeeled. Unpeeled eggs tend to stay fresher slightly longer because the shell acts as a barrier, but the FDA considers both safe within that seven-day window. If you meal-prep boiled eggs for the week, cook them on Sunday and use them by Saturday.