Meat, fish, and eggs
Hard-boiled egg
Hard-boiled egg provides 12.6 g of protein for 155 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 8.1 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density: 155 kcal/100 g | +1 |
| Protein: 8.1 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Solid food with 74.6 g of water | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 5 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 173424
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 78 kcal per serving
- 155 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 6.3 g per serving
- 12.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 0.6 g per serving
- 1.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0.6 g per serving
- 1.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 5.3 g per serving
- 10.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.6 g per serving
- 3.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 37.3 g per serving
- 74.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled (FDC ID 173424), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 50 g (2 oz) serving provides about 78 kcal, 6.3 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
A hard-boiled egg is a hen's egg cooked in its shell in boiling water until both the white and the yolk are set; in Spain, Argentina and Chile it is called huevo duro, and in Mexico and much of Central America, huevo cocido. Besides being made at home, it is sold in many supermarkets already cooked and peeled, in packs kept in the fridge. This page covers a whole hard-boiled egg without the shell according to USDA, with 155 kcal, 12.6 g of protein and 10.6 g of fat per 100 g.
A shelled hard-boiled egg of about 50 g (1.8 oz) provides 6.3 g of protein and about 78 kcal, and because it is eaten cold and travels well, it makes it easy to start a meal with protein, as suggested by the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy, which lists eggs among the low-volume protein foods to prioritize. It has no added fat, and the same advisory suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days it usually sits better than a fried egg. Chopped, it adds protein to dishes that have little, such as the gazpacho with hard-boiled egg and serrano ham or the warm lentil salad with egg.
What the evidence says
A 50 g hard-boiled egg contains about 187 mg of cholesterol according to USDA, and for years people were told to limit eggs because of it. A 2020 meta-analysis of observational studies in the BMJ, with more than 1.7 million participants and funded by the US National Institutes of Health and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, found no association between eating one more egg a day and cardiovascular risk. The American Heart Association concluded in its 2019 science advisory that healthy people can include up to one whole egg a day in a heart-healthy diet, and older people with normal cholesterol up to two, and that advice should focus on eating patterns such as the Mediterranean diet rather than on a cholesterol number. In the Holt satiety index (1995), which compared 240 kcal servings, eggs scored 150 against 100 for the white bread reference; in hard-boiled eggs, 240 kcal is about three eggs.
Recipes with this food
Warm lentil salad with egg22.5 g protein per serving
Gazpacho with hard-boiled egg and serrano ham18 g protein per serving
Light Spanish picadillo soup with chicken, egg, and ham18.4 g protein per serving
Holiday appetizer board with ham, smoked salmon, and eggs16.5 g protein per serving
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about hard-boiled egg
How much protein is in a 50 g (2 oz) serving of hard-boiled egg?
100 g (3.5 oz) of hard-boiled egg has 12.6 g of protein. A typical 50 g (2 oz) serving has about 6.3 g of protein. That is 8.1 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.
How many calories does a 50 g (2 oz) serving of hard-boiled egg have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of hard-boiled egg has 155 kcal. A typical 50 g (2 oz) serving has about 78 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Is hard-boiled egg filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 155 kcal/100 g) + 2 (protein: 8.1 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 74.6 g of water) = 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
How does hard-boiled egg sit with nausea from a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about hard-boiled egg on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. “Easy to digest”: a soft or low-fat food that many people tolerate well when they feel nauseous or get full quickly. “Nutritious in small servings”: a lot of nutrition in a small volume, which is practical when you eat little. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of hard-boiled egg?
We use 50 g (2 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 78 kcal, 6.3 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled (FDC ID 173424).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- Meta-analysisBMJ.Drouin-Chartier JP, et al. Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: three large prospective US cohort studies, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis. BMJ. 2020;368:m513. doi:10.1136/bmj.m513.accessed .
- Clinical guidelineCirculation (American Heart Association).Carson JAS, et al. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;141(3):e39-e53. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000743.accessed .
- Clinical trialEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition.Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675-90.accessed .