A single large egg contains at least 13 vitamins, making it one of the most vitamin-dense whole foods available. These span both fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and a full suite of B vitamins, plus choline, which is sometimes grouped with the B-vitamin family. For a food that weighs about 50 grams, that’s a remarkably complete nutritional package.
The Full Vitamin List
Here’s what you get from one large egg:
- Vitamin A: about 75 mcg, or 8% of the daily value
- Vitamin D: about 1.1 mcg (44 IU), or 6% of the daily value
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin)
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): about 0.25 mg per egg, a meaningful portion of the daily value
- Vitamin B3 (niacin)
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): about 0.68 mg per egg
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B7 (biotin)
- Vitamin B9 (folate)
- Vitamin B12: about 1.35 mcg per egg, which covers a significant share of the daily recommendation
- Choline: about 147 mg per egg, one of the richest food sources available
No single egg delivers a huge percentage of every vitamin, but the breadth is unusual. Few other single-ingredient foods cover this many bases at once.
Where the Vitamins Actually Are
Nearly all of the vitamins in an egg are concentrated in the yolk. The white is mostly protein and water, contributing about 60% of the egg’s total protein but almost none of its vitamins or minerals. If you eat only egg whites, you’re getting protein and very little else.
The fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E, and K, depend on the yolk’s fat content to be present and absorbed. Choline and the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are also locked in the yolk. This is why the yolk has its deep yellow or orange color: those pigments are carotenoids, the same family of compounds found in carrots and leafy greens. Lutein and zeaxanthin are specifically linked to eye health and may help protect against age-related vision loss.
The B vitamins are split between yolk and white, but the yolk still holds the larger share. B12 and riboflavin, two of the most nutritionally significant B vitamins in eggs, are predominantly found there.
Vitamins That Stand Out
A few vitamins in eggs deserve extra attention because eggs are among the best dietary sources for them.
Choline is the headliner. Most people don’t get enough choline from their diet, and eggs are one of the easiest ways to close that gap. Choline supports brain function, liver health, and cell membrane integrity. Two eggs a day provide roughly half the recommended intake for most adults.
Vitamin B12 is another strength. A single egg supplies a meaningful share of B12 needs, which matters especially for people who don’t eat much red meat or fish. B12 is essential for nerve function and the production of red blood cells.
Vitamin D is harder to find in food, period. Most dietary vitamin D comes from fortified products like milk or from fatty fish. Eggs are one of the few naturally occurring sources, providing about 44 IU per egg. That’s only 6% of the daily value, so eggs alone won’t solve a vitamin D deficiency, but they contribute in a way most foods can’t.
Vitamin A in eggs comes as preformed retinol, the form your body can use immediately without needing to convert it from plant-based carotenoids. One hard-boiled egg delivers about 8% of the daily recommendation.
Pasture-Raised Eggs Have More
The vitamin content of an egg isn’t fixed. It shifts based on what the hen eats and how she lives. Pasture-raised hens that forage on grass, insects, and seeds produce eggs with noticeably higher vitamin levels compared to eggs from conventionally raised, confined hens.
The differences are substantial. Pasture-raised eggs contain roughly 6 times as much vitamin D, 4 times more vitamin E, and 8 times more beta-carotene (which your body converts to vitamin A) than conventional eggs. They also tend to have about 3 times more omega-3 fatty acids, which aren’t vitamins but are nutritionally relevant.
You can often spot the difference visually. A pasture-raised egg typically has a deeper orange yolk, reflecting its higher carotenoid content. Omega-3 enriched eggs, laid by hens fed flaxseed-supplemented diets, offer another step up in fatty acid content but don’t necessarily match pasture-raised eggs on the vitamin front.
How Cooking Affects Vitamin Content
Heat degrades some vitamins more than others. Water-soluble B vitamins, particularly folate and to a lesser extent B12, are the most vulnerable to cooking. You’ll retain more of an egg’s total vitamin content with shorter, gentler cooking methods like soft boiling or poaching compared to prolonged high-heat methods like frying at high temperatures or baking into dishes.
That said, the losses are partial, not total. A scrambled or hard-boiled egg still delivers the vast majority of its original vitamin profile. The practical takeaway: cook your eggs however you enjoy them. The difference between methods is real but modest enough that it shouldn’t drive your choices.