Are Hard-Boiled Eggs Really Better For You Than Fried Eggs?
Eggs are pretty awesome. They're cheap, tasty, chock full of nutrients, and are considered a superfood as they offer many health benefits, according to Healthline. Some of these health benefits include supporting weight loss efforts as well as eye and heart health, shares BBC Good Food. One study published in Nutrition Reviews points out that the high choline content found in egg yolks supports various bodily functions such as building cell membranes and helping with brain signals.
Eggs are also extremely versatile and can compliment many types of dishes. You can fry them on the stove or enjoy a classic hard-boiled egg — the choice is yours. But if you've ever debated whether hard-boiled eggs are really better for you than fried eggs, well, we don't blame you. We have too, so let's take a closer look at their nutritional profiles.
One large hard-boiled egg clocks in at approximately 77.5 calories with 6.3 grams of protein, 0.6 grams of carbohydrates, and 5.3 grams of fat (per Self Nutrition Data). Eggs also contain many other minerals and vitamins besides choline. Self Nutrition Data shares that eggs have high amounts of vitamin A, selenium, vitamin B6 and B12, folate, phosphorus, zinc, and iron.
Hard-boiled eggs have less calories and fat
A fried egg, on the other hand, will up the calorie and fat content of a hard-boiled egg. According to Self Nutrition Data, one large fried egg has 90 calories and contains 7 grams of fat. The higher calorie and fat content is likely due to the oil or butter in which the egg is fried, points out Healthline.
In addition, fried eggs contain slightly fewer carbohydrates. Self Nutrition Data points out that one fried egg will give you 0.4 grams of carbohydrates. But when it comes to protein content, fried eggs and boiled eggs offer the same amount of protein (per Healthline). And from a micronutrient standpoint, both types of eggs offer comparable minerals and vitamins. So if you're watching your calories and fat content, boiled eggs beat fried every time. But if you're not, there's another question that's equally as important when it comes to deciding which type of cooked egg is healthiest.
The question to ask is what kind of egg are you eating, because not all eggs are the same. Healthline explains that the nutritional profile of eggs can fluctuate depending on two factors: how the hen was raised and how it was fed. So if you're looking for the best possible egg to whip up for breakfast, Bon Appétit recommends buying USDA AA, organic, free-range, or anything stamped with a seal from Animal Welfare Approved.