Protein content
A 1 large serving of egg yolk contains 2.7 g of protein - only a minor source of protein, about 5% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Serving | 1 large (17 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 2.7 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 15.9 g |
| Calories per serving | 55 kcal |
| Protein density | 20% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 5% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Eggs |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #172184 |
A typical 1 large serving of egg yolk contains 2.7 grams of protein (15.9 g per 100 g), which makes it only a minor source of protein. That covers roughly 5% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Around 20% of the calories in egg yolk come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Among the 20 eggs in the database, egg yolk ranks 19th by protein per serving, and 607th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against cooked egg white, another egg entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.8 g less protein (cooked egg white has 3.5 g per 1 large).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is counted by piece at 17 g. Because pieces vary, the per-100 g figure is the one to use when comparing this against a food measured a different way.
The yolk carries most of an egg's fat and micronutrients but less than half its protein.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #172184 - "Egg, yolk, raw, fresh" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Egg yolk has 15.9 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 large serving (17 g) provides 2.7 g.
Yes. Egg yolk is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
A 1 large serving of egg yolk contains 2.7 g of protein, about 5% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Egg yolk is only a minor source of protein, and about 20% of its calories come from protein, which makes it moderately protein-dense. Set against cooked egg white, another egg entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.8 g less protein (cooked egg white has 3.5 g per 1 large).
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