Calories in Eggs

theron12
theron12 Posts: 60 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Are the calories in Eggs the same whether you scramble them (nothing added but maybe no calorie non stick spray) or boil them? Like if a large egg is 70 calories will it be 70 calories whether I scramble it or boil it? Thanks!

Replies

  • grinning_chick
    grinning_chick Posts: 765 Member
    Yes.
  • theron12
    theron12 Posts: 60 Member
    Yes, approximately, and no, not exactly.

    Cooking food changes the availability of digestible calories. Some foods it increases, others it decreases. Method of cooking (high heat/low heat, short time/long time) makes differences, too. For the most part, however, these differences are small and so difficult to determine for everything we eat that one can ignore them for food diary purposes.

    For example, the USDA database lists the calories for a raw large egg as 72 calories but that same egg hard-boiled as 78 calories. The size of a large egg differs a bit. The amount of yolk versus white differs a bit. Really, 75 or 78 calories are both best estimates.

    Those three (or four or five ...) calories are likely to be lost or gained on other foods and measuring error. I figure it all works out in the wash.

    Hey thanks!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Yes, approximately, and no, not exactly.

    Cooking food changes the availability of digestible calories. Some foods it increases, others it decreases. Method of cooking (high heat/low heat, short time/long time) makes differences, too. For the most part, however, these differences are small and so difficult to determine for everything we eat that one can ignore them for food diary purposes.

    For example, the USDA database lists the calories for a raw large egg as 72 calories but that same egg hard-boiled as 78 calories. The size of a large egg differs a bit. The amount of yolk versus white differs a bit. Really, 75 or 78 calories are both best estimates.

    Those three (or four or five ...) calories are likely to be lost or gained on other foods and measuring error. I figure it all works out in the wash.

    Great explanation, and contextualization.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    The actual size of "the large egg" is a far bigger variable than the cooking method.

    Still pretty much insignificant. That degree of precision really isn't required.
  • thewindandthework
    thewindandthework Posts: 531 Member
    Although, as mentioned, cooking method can technically make a miniscule difference in calories, the difference is small enough to be negligible for any practical purpose.

    For egg calories, the two things to watch are the size of the egg, and other ingredients. If you're frying or scrambling an egg, the oil or fat you cook with will certainly cause that egg to have more calories than an identical egg that's hard boiled or poached.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Be sure to look at your no calorie cookie spray's label. Usually the nutrition info is for a 1/4 second spray. Most people tend to psssssshhhhhhtttttttt spray the pan. If you try to pronounce psssssshhhhhhtttttttt you will find that it takes longer than 1/4 second :smiley: so the no calorie spray turns into a yes calorie spray.
  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    Be sure to look at your no calorie cookie spray's label. Usually the nutrition info is for a 1/4 second spray. Most people tend to psssssshhhhhhtttttttt spray the pan. If you try to pronounce psssssshhhhhhtttttttt you will find that it takes longer than 1/4 second :smiley: so the no calorie spray turns into a yes calorie spray.

    sort of the same with no calorie water additives to change the taste. Quite often they will be labeled as 0 calories but are really 3 or 4 or 5 calories rounded down. The packet might say makes half a cup. if you make a 1liter bottle of water with the proper amount of packets, suddenly that no calorie drink is now a 40 calorie drink. Not a whole lot but enough that if you drink it constantly it can make a difference.
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