The yolk is where almost all of an egg's vitamins, minerals and fat sit, including nearly all its choline and vitamin D. Cooked until firm, it is one of the most useful single foods in pregnancy.
Why it's good in pregnancy
One yolk gives you around 140 mg of choline, roughly a third of your daily pregnancy need, for your baby's brain and spinal cord. It also carries vitamin D, which most of us are short of, plus iron, vitamin A in a safe amount and the fats that help you absorb them.
Key nutrients
CholineNearly all of an egg's choline is in the yolk, supporting your baby's brain and neural tube development.
Vitamin DYolks are one of the few everyday foods with natural vitamin D, which helps calcium reach your baby's bones.
IronYolk iron adds to the extra blood your body builds through pregnancy.
Vitamin AA yolk carries a modest, safe amount of vitamin A for your baby's eyes and skin, far below the levels found in liver.
Healthy FatsThe yolk's fat carries its fat-soluble vitamins and gives sustained energy.
Serving ideas
Crumbled hard-boiled yolk over a salad
Mashed with avocado on wholegrain toast
Grated over steamed greens
Stirred into a well-cooked frittata
Blended into a fully cooked custard
Safety
Cook until the yolk is firm all the way through, not runny or jammy.
The yolk is the part of an egg most likely to carry salmonella, so cook it until it is firm and crumbly rather than soft or jammy. In the UK, eggs with the Lion mark are considered low enough risk to eat runny; elsewhere, choose pasteurised eggs if you want a soft yolk. Keep eggs in the fridge and use them within their date. Skip homemade sauces, mousses and ice creams that use raw yolk unless they are made with pasteurised egg.
Common questions
Is egg yolk safe during pregnancy?Yes, as long as it is cooked until firm; a runny yolk is only considered safe with UK Lion-mark or pasteurised eggs.
Does the vitamin A in egg yolk matter in pregnancy?No, a yolk contains a small, safe amount; the vitamin A concern applies to liver and liver products, not eggs.
Is the yolk the healthy part of the egg?The yolk holds the choline, vitamin D, iron and healthy fats, while the white is mostly protein, so eating the whole egg gives you both.
Did you know?
Two cooked yolks cover more than half of the 450 mg of choline recommended daily in pregnancy.
Yolk colour reflects what the hen ate, not how nutritious the egg is.
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