Research and general acceptanceBasic nutritional information about eggs
In order to evaluate the nutritional content of
chicken eggs, the reader should note that eggs vary
considerably in size and therefore in calorie or fat
content. The following are the standard sizes as
defined in the United States:
Peewee: greater than 1.25 oz or 35 g
Small (S): greater than 1.5 oz or 43 g
Medium (M): greater than 1.75 oz or 50 g
Large (L): greater than 2 oz or 57 g
Extra Large (XL): Greater than 2.25 oz or 64 g
Jumbo: Greater than 2.5 oz or 71 g
The nutrient content of a large egg (59 g) is as
follows:
Calories: 75 (17 in the white or albumen, 58 in the
yolk)
Cholesterol: 213 mg (all in the yolk)
Protein: 6.25 g (3.5 g in the white, 2.78 g in the yolk)
Carbohydrate: 0.61 g (0.34 g in the white, 0.27 g in
the yolk)
Fats: 5 g (all in the yolk)
Vitamin A: 317 IU (all in the yolk)
Vitamin D: 24.5 IU (all in the yolk)
Vitamin B 12 : 0.52 mcg (all in the yolk)
Calcium: 25 mg (2 in the white, 23 in the yolk)
Zinc: 0.55 mg (all in the yolk)
It will be evident from the foregoing list that ovo-
vegetarians who omit all or part of the yolk from their
egg consumption will be losing important vitamins
and minerals along with the cholesterol andfats.
Evaluations of ovovegetarianism
Vegetarianism, including ovovegetarianism, is
accepted by all mainstream medical associations and
professional nutritionists’ societies, and positively rec-
ommended by some. The position statement jointly
adopted by the ADA and DC in 2003 states: ‘‘It is
the position of the American Dietetic Association and
Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned veg-
etarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and
provide health benefits in the prevention and treat-
ment of certain diseases.... Well-planned vegan and
other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all
stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy,
lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence.’’
On the other hand, little research has been done
on ovovegetarianism as a subtype of vegetarianism,
whether of ovovegetarianism by itself or in compar-
ison to other vegetarian diets. It is therefore difficult to
determine whether the consumption of eggs (or egg
yolks) by itself has a negative effect on the overall
health benefits of a vegetarian diet. Further research
in this area would be beneficial.
Ovovegetarians are a fairly small subgroup of
vegetarians. As is sometimes pointed out in discus-
sions of meal choices in restaurants, school cafeterias,
and airline food service, most institutions interpret
‘‘vegetarian’’ to mean ‘‘ovolactovegetarian.’’ This
fact requires ovovegetarians in many situations to
ask whether a vegan meal or food choice is available.
One website has a list of airlines that offer ovovege-
tarian (called ‘‘nondairy’’ vegetarian) meals (as well as
vegan, Hindu vegetarian, and raw vegetarian choices)
provided the customer calls 48 hours in advance of
departure. The URL is listed below.
It is difficult to estimate either how many people
in the general North American population are ovove-
getarians or how many people who consider them-
selves vegetarians fall into this subgroup. Charles
Stahler reported in an article inVegetarian Journalin
2006, however, that a poll conducted by Harris Inter-
active indicated that 7.6% of adults in the United
States ‘‘never eat dairy products.’’
Another factor that further confuses the issue is that
vegetarians disagree among themselves as to how strictly
their various subgroups should be defined; some ovove-
getarians may be flexible about the occasional use of milk
or other dairy products while others may not be. One
registered dietitian who offers tutorials on vegetarian
nutrition and food service has remarked, ‘‘Just as there
are no culinary police that dictate how people eat or how
food is prepared, there are no vegetarian police who
oversee if people are adhering to their ‘declared’ vegeta-
rian choice. This is a very hot topic for some people, who
are adamant that their definitions or life-style choices are
theonlyway. For the sake of these lectures, it will beQUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR
DOCTOR Are any of your other patients ovovegetarians?
Would you recommend an ovovegetarian diet?
In your opinion, is it preferable to a vegan diet?
What is your opinion of eggs as part of an adult’s
diet? Should people limit their consumption of
them even if they are ovovegetarians?Ovovegetarianism