How much protein in an egg, by size

1. 01

   Medium egg (44 g)

   ~5.5 g protein. Scales linearly from the large-egg figure (USDA: 12.56 g protein per 100 g whole egg). Common in EU cartons graded by weight; a US 'medium' carton averages ~5.5 g per egg.

2. 02

   Large egg (50 g), the reference

   6.3 g protein (USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: 6.28 g per 50 g large egg). 72 kcal, 4.8 g fat, 186 mg cholesterol, ~147 mg choline. This is the number to memorize; nearly all recipe and label math assumes the large egg.

3. 03

   Extra-large egg (56 g)

   ~7.0 g protein. USDA grades extra-large at 56 g minimum. The protein tracks shell-free mass, so an extra-large runs ~11% more protein than a large.

4. 04

   Jumbo egg (63 g)

   ~7.9 g protein. The largest USDA grade (63 g minimum). Useful when a recipe is engineered around grams of egg rather than count; two jumbos ~ five mediums on protein.

5. 05

   Egg white only (33 g from a large egg)

   3.6 g protein, ~17 kcal, near-zero fat. The white is ~57% of the protein for ~24% of the calories. The amino-acid profile is complete on its own, so white-only is a legitimate lean-protein move, at the cost of the yolk's choline and lutein.

6. 06

   Egg yolk only (17 g from a large egg)

   2.7 g protein, ~55 kcal, 4.5 g fat. The yolk holds ~43% of the protein plus essentially all the choline (~147 mg), lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. 'Throwing out the yolk' discards the densest micronutrient fraction for a modest protein gain.

7. 07

   Liquid egg whites (per 3 tbsp / 46 g serving)

   ~5 g protein, ~25 kcal. Cartoned whites (e.g., Egg Beaters whites, Bob Evans) are pasteurized and pourable. ~46 g equals one large egg's white volume. Convenient for high-protein, low-calorie batch cooking; runs ~2-3x the $/g of shell eggs.

8. 08

   How egg protein ranks on quality (PDCAAS/DIAAS)

   Whole egg scores 1.0 on PDCAAS, the FAO/WHO reference protein, alongside whey and casein. Its DIAAS is ~113 (cooked), among the highest of any whole food. Practically: nearly all the protein you eat is absorbed and usable, which is not true of most plant sources (lentils ~0.6-0.7 PDCAAS). Quality is why eggs punch above their gram count.

What people ask us next.

Q01

How much protein is in one large egg?

6.3 g, per USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy: 6.28 g of protein in a 50 g large egg). That egg is also 72 kcal with 4.8 g fat. The protein splits 3.6 g in the white and 2.7 g in the yolk. For quick math, use 6 g per large egg.

Q02

How much protein is in two eggs?

About 12.5 g for two large eggs (2 x 6.28 g). At ~144 kcal combined, that is a protein density of ~0.087 g/kcal, solid but not exceptional. Two eggs supply ~1.3 g leucine, below the ~2.5-3 g per-meal threshold Moore 2015 links to maximal muscle protein synthesis, so pair them with another source if the meal is meant to be anabolic.

Q03

How much protein in 3 eggs vs a chicken breast?

Three large eggs give ~18.8 g protein for ~216 kcal. A typical 150 g cooked chicken breast gives ~46 g protein for ~250 kcal (USDA: 30.5 g protein per 100 g cooked breast). The breast wins decisively on protein density, ~0.18 vs ~0.087 g/kcal. Eggs win on micronutrients (choline, B12) and cost per egg, not on grams of protein per calorie.

Q04

Is the protein in the white or the yolk?

Both, but more in the white. A large egg's white holds 3.6 g (~57%) and the yolk 2.7 g (~43%). Eating whites only keeps ~57% of the protein for ~24% of the calories, the rationale for white-only when cutting. The trade-off is the yolk's ~147 mg choline, lutein, vitamin D, and B12, which the white lacks.

Q05

Does cooking change the protein content?

Cooking does not destroy protein; the gram count is essentially unchanged from raw to scrambled, boiled, or fried. What cooking changes is digestibility: Evenepoel 1998 found cooked egg protein is ~91% absorbed versus ~51% for raw, because heat denatures the proteins and inactivates avidin and trypsin inhibitors. Eat eggs cooked to actually use the protein.

Q06

How many eggs to hit a 30 g protein meal?

About 5 large eggs (5 x 6.28 = 31.4 g), at ~360 kcal and ~930 mg cholesterol. That is a lot of calories and cholesterol for 30 g. The cost-effective move is 2-3 eggs (12.5-18.8 g) plus a lean add-on: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a scoop of whey to clear the threshold without the calorie load.

Q07

How much does egg protein cost per gram?

At a warehouse 18-count around $4.50 ($0.25/egg), one large egg's 6.3 g protein costs ~$0.040/g. Bulk 60-count or sale eggs drop that to ~$0.020/g; pasture-raised cartons run ~$0.090/g. Eggs sit mid-pack: above whey concentrate (~$0.013/g) and bulk chicken (~$0.015/g), below most retail meat. See the full ranking in our 12 high-protein foods by $/g.