Quail Egg
Nutrition Information
| Nutrient / Component | Per 100 g (Whole Quail Egg) | Per 1 Whole Quail Egg (9 g) | Per 1 Quail Egg White (5.5 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy (Calories) | 158 kcal | 14.2 kcal | 2.9 kcal |
| Water | 74.3 g | 6.69 g | 4.83 g |
| Protein | 13.05 g | 1.17 g | 0.60 g |
| Total Fat | 11.09 g | 1.00 g | 0.01 g |
| — Monounsaturated Fat | 4.32 g | 0.39 g | 0.00 g |
| — Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.32 g | 0.12 g | 0.00 g |
| — Saturated Fat | 3.56 g | 0.32 g | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 844 mg | 76.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0.41 g | 0.04 g | 0.04 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.40 g | 0.04 g | 0.04 g |
| Choline | 263.4 mg | 23.7 mg | 0.06 mg |
| Phosphorus | 226 mg | 20.3 mg | 0.83 mg |
| Potassium | 132 mg | 11.9 mg | 8.97 mg |
| Sodium | 141 mg | 12.7 mg | 9.13 mg |
| Calcium | 64 mg | 5.76 mg | 0.39 mg |
| Magnesium | 13 mg | 1.17 mg | 0.61 mg |
| Iron | 3.65 mg | 0.33 mg | 0.01 mg |
| Zinc | 1.47 mg | 0.13 mg | 0.01 mg |
| Selenium | 32.0 µg | 2.88 µg | 1.10 µg |
| Copper | 0.062 mg | 0.006 mg | 0.001 mg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 156 µg | 14.0 µg | 0.0 µg |
| Vitamin D (D3) | 1.4 µg (55 IU) | 0.13 µg (5 IU) | 0.0 µg |
| Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocopherol) | 1.08 mg | 0.10 mg | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.58 µg | 0.14 µg | 0.01 µg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.790 mg | 0.071 mg | 0.024 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.76 mg | 0.16 mg | 0.01 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 66.0 µg | 5.94 µg | 0.22 µg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.150 mg | 0.014 mg | 0.001 mg |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.130 mg | 0.012 mg | 0.001 mg |
| Lutein + Zeaxanthin | 370 µg | 33.3 µg | 0.0 µg |
Description
Quail eggs (Coturnix japonica) are petite, speckled culinary powerhouses celebrated across gourmet cuisine and clinical nutrition for their concentrated nutrient density. Despite weighing roughly one-fifth the size of a standard chicken egg, quail eggs deliver a significantly higher yolk-to-white ratio, resulting in elevated proportions of essential phospholipids, fat-soluble vitamins, and bioavailable trace minerals per gram. When analyzing quail egg nutritional value per 100g (raw edible portion without shell), whole quail eggs provide approximately 158 calories, 13.0 grams of complete protein, 11.1 grams of dietary lipids, and under 0.5 grams of carbohydrates. At the individual portion level, one whole raw quail egg (approx. 9 grams edible weight) yields roughly 14 calories and 1.2 grams of complete protein, while one quail egg white (approx. 5.5 grams) supplies an ultra-lean 3 calories and 0.6 grams of pure protein with zero fat and zero cholesterol.
Whole Quail Egg vs. Quail Egg White: Yolk Proportions & Protein Dynamics
In quail eggs, the yolk constitutes approximately 39% to 42% of total liquid volume—substantially greater than the ~30% yolk ratio typical of chicken eggs. The white (albumen) supplies approximately 50% of the egg's total protein in the form of ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and ovomucoid, but carries virtually zero fat or carbohydrates. For athletes requiring pure, low-calorie amino acid supplementation, quail egg whites deliver pristine nitrogen retention. However, whole quail eggs offer the complete functional matrix: the yolk supplies the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) alongside dietary lipids that optimize muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and provide sustained satiety.
Ovomucoid Protein & Anti-Allergenic Characteristics
A unique biochemical trait of quail egg white is its high concentration of ovomucoid protein (a specialized glycoprotein) and ovoinhibitor:
Enzymatic Inhibition: Quail egg ovomucoid acts as a natural inhibitor of human serine proteases (including trypsin and elastase), which are often involved in allergic inflammatory cascades.
Bioactive Defense: Because of these specialized enzyme inhibitors, quail egg whites are traditionally utilized in natural medicine protocols to alleviate environmental allergic rhinitis and histamine-driven airway inflammation.
Superior Micronutrient Concentration: Vitamin B12, Iron, Choline & Riboflavin
Gram for gram, quail eggs outpace standard chicken eggs across several essential vitamins and minerals:
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): Supplying 1.58 µg per 100g (and roughly 0.14 µg per single tiny egg), whole quail eggs provide essential support for cellular DNA synthesis, red blood cell maturation, and neurological myelin maintenance.
Non-Heme & Heme Iron: Delivering 3.65 mg of iron per 100g (nearly double that of chicken eggs), whole quail eggs assist in cellular oxygen transport via hemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): Supplying 0.79 mg per 100g (approx. 61% of the daily value), riboflavin serves as an indispensable building block for FAD and FMN coenzymes governing mitochondrial ATP production.
Choline & Selenium: Delivering 263 mg of choline per 100g to protect cell membrane integrity and promote liver lipid clearance, alongside 32 µg of selenium to fuel antioxidant glutathione peroxidase enzymes.
