How many eggs a day is too much?
Trials have fed healthy adults two eggs a day for 4 weeks, a review of 6 trials in people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes tested 6 to 12 eggs a week, and no US agency sets an egg limit. One large egg (1.8 oz, 50 g) has 207 mg of cholesterol, which is 69% of the 300 mg Daily Value on food labels.
Where the limits are
| What sets the limit | Per egg | Daily limit for adults | Eggs to reach it (rounded down) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | 207 mg | 300 mg (Label Daily Value) | 1.4 |
| Saturated fat | 1.6 g | about 20 g (10% of 2,000 calories) (Dietary Guidelines limit) | 12 |
| Selenium | 16 mcg | 400 mcg (Upper limit (NIH)) | 25 |
| Preformed vitamin A (retinol) | 90 mcg | 3,000 mcg (Upper limit (NIH)) | 33 |
| Sodium | 65 mg | 2,300 mg (Dietary Guidelines limit) | 35 |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | 45 mg (Upper limit (NIH)) | 53 |
| Calories | 74 | 2,000 (reference day, not a limit) | 26 |
One egg = 1 egg whole without shell (1.8 oz, 50.3 g). USDA FoodData Central, Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole. Limits count everything you eat and drink that day, so other foods and supplements use up part of each one.
What 1 to 6 eggs a day add up to
| Amount | Calories | Saturated fat (% of limit) | Selenium (% of limit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 egg | 74 | 1.6 g (8%) | 16 mcg (4%) |
| 2 eggs | 149 | 3.2 g (16%) | 31 mcg (8%) |
| 3 eggs | 223 | 4.8 g (24%) | 47 mcg (12%) |
| 4 eggs | 298 | 6.4 g (32%) | 63 mcg (16%) |
| 6 eggs | 447 | 9.7 g (48%) | 94 mcg (23%) |
What eating it daily did in studies
- Level A A review of 6 trials in people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes found 6 to 12 eggs a week did not change LDL, total cholesterol or blood sugar. Can J Diabetes, 2017
- Level B When a trial separated the two things an egg brings, only one of them raised LDL. Two eggs a day inside a low saturated fat diet lowered LDL, and an egg free diet high in saturated fat did not. Nutting et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025
- Level B Adding two eggs a day to a plant-based diet for 4 weeks raised HDL cholesterol and lifted plasma choline from 9.47 to 10.54 micromoles per liter in 24 adults with metabolic syndrome. Nutrients, 2022
- Level B In a crossover RCT in 50 young healthy adults, 2 eggs a day for 4 weeks raised both LDL and HDL versus an oatmeal breakfast and left the LDL/HDL ratio unchanged. Nutrients, 2017
- Level B In a crossover RCT in 29 adults with type 2 diabetes, one egg a day for 5 weeks gave no difference in plasma glucose or lipids compared with 1.4 oz (40 g) of oatmeal taken with 16 fl oz (472 mL) of lactose-free milk. Nutrients, 2015
Only studies that give the amount eaten. Levels: A is a meta-analysis of trials, B a randomized trial, C an observational study. How we grade evidence.
Reasons to keep it moderate, and who should eat less
- Level E FDA kept a Daily Value of 300 mg for cholesterol on US food labels, as an intake not to exceed to lower heart disease risk. FDA, 2016, Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, final rule (FR Doc. 2016-11867)
- Level C A European meta-analysis of 93 studies puts challenge-verified egg allergy at 0.8% and soy allergy at 0.3%. Allergy, 2023
If you have kidney disease, take blood thinners or other medicines, or are pregnant, the right amount for you is a question for your clinician.
What this means for a normal day
The 300 mg cholesterol Daily Value is a label number, and it is the only US figure an egg runs into quickly. FDA kept it as an intake not to exceed (Level E).
The trials point in different directions. Across 6 trials in people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes, 6 to 12 eggs a week did not change LDL or blood sugar (Level A). In 50 young adults, 2 eggs a day for 4 weeks raised both LDL and HDL and left their ratio unchanged (Level B). In a trial in 61 adults that separated eggs from saturated fat, LDL tracked the saturated fat in the diet, not the cholesterol from eggs (Level B).
Observational data lean the other way. Pooled cohorts with 3.6 million people link each extra egg a day with a 4% higher cardiovascular risk (Level C). That is an association, not proof that eggs cause it.
If your LDL is high, the number of eggs is worth deciding with your clinician. For children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immunity, FDA advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm (Level E).
Evidence behind this note
- Level E FDA kept a Daily Value of 300 mg for cholesterol on US food labels, as an intake not to exceed to lower heart disease risk. FDA, 2016, Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, final rule (FR Doc. 2016-11867)
- Level A A review of 6 trials in people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes found 6 to 12 eggs a week did not change LDL, total cholesterol or blood sugar. Can J Diabetes, 2017
- Level B In a crossover RCT in 50 young healthy adults, 2 eggs a day for 4 weeks raised both LDL and HDL versus an oatmeal breakfast and left the LDL/HDL ratio unchanged. Nutrients, 2017
- Level B When a trial separated the two things an egg brings, only one of them raised LDL. Two eggs a day inside a low saturated fat diet lowered LDL, and an egg free diet high in saturated fat did not. Nutting et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025
- Level C Observational data from 3.6 million people link each extra egg a day with a 4% higher cardiovascular risk, 8% in US cohorts and none in Asian cohorts. Circulation, 2022
- Level E FDA warns that clean, uncracked fresh eggs may carry Salmonella and advises cooking eggs until both yolk and white are firm, with higher risk for children, older adults and pregnant women. US FDA, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety
Written from the data and studies on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg whole, FDC ID 748967 (accessed 2026-10-13)
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg white, FDC ID 747997 (accessed 2026-10-13)
- USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods (release 2025-12-18): Eggs, Grade A, Large, egg yolk, FDC ID 748236 (accessed 2026-10-13)
- FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030, https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf (accessed 2026-10-13)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Health Professional Fact Sheet: Selenium, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-HealthProfessional/ (accessed 2026-10-13)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Health Professional Fact Sheet: Vitamin A, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminA-HealthProfessional/ (accessed 2026-10-13)
- FDA, Sodium in Your Diet, https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet (accessed 2026-10-13)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Health Professional Fact Sheet: Iron, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/ (accessed 2026-10-13)
- Evidence cards: each study above links to its source. Card review dates are listed in our methodology.
Numbers checked 2026-10-13. Bioma Learn provides information, not medical advice.