Quail eggs are rapidly gaining traction in cooking as a tiny and cute alternative to chicken eggs.

They taste remarkably like chicken eggs but are small typically just one-third the size of a standard chicken egg. They have cream-colored shells with brown splotches and deep-yellow yolks.

For their size, they are packed with nutrients, but there are some precautions to take when dealing with them, especially if you are pregnant or have an egg allergy.

Quail eggs are small, so three to four of them roughly equate to the serving size of one chicken egg.

One quail egg (9 grams) contains:

Calories: 14
Protein: 1 gram
Fat: 1 gram
Carbs: 0 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Choline: 4% of the Daily Value (DV)
Riboflavin: 6% of the DV
Folate: 2% of the DV
Pantothenic acid: 3% of the DV
Vitamin A: 2% of the DV
Vitamin B12: 6% of the DV
Iron: 2% of the DV
Phosphorus: 2% of the DV
Selenium: 5% of the DV
For being so small, these eggs are surprisingly rich in nutrients.

A single quail egg provides a significant chunk of your daily vitamin B12, selenium, riboflavin, and choline needs, along with some iron all in a serving that contains only 14 calories.

Selenium and riboflavin are important nutrients that help your body break down the food you eat and transform it into energy. Selenium also helps ensure healthy thyroid function.

Meanwhile, vitamin B12 and iron promote healthy nervous system function and help maintain optimal energy levels through their roles in red blood cell formation.

In addition, choline is vital to helping your body make acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that sends messages from your nervous system to your muscles.

One quail egg contains only 14 calories but is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, including selenium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and choline.

Quail eggs are rich in nutrients and full of health-promoting antioxidants that may help reverse cellular damage and treat allergy symptoms.

One 7-day study in 77 people with allergic rhinitis found symptoms like sneezing, congestion, and runny nose improved within 1 hour of taking a quail egg antioxidant and zinc supplement. However, it’s unclear if the egg compounds alone were responsible for the benefits.

Plus, a mouse study found that quail egg yolk alleviated symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis, a severe inflammatory condition caused by food allergies.

Quail eggs are also being studied as a potential treatment for salmonella infection, as the eggs contain unique anti-salmonella antibodies.

Although these findings are promising, more research in humans is needed.

Most quail eggs are unpasteurized, meaning they have not been heated to kill harmful bacteria that may reside on the shell.

Because of this, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems should avoid quail eggs or ensure that they’re completely cooked with no runny or gelatinous yolk before eating them.

In addition, if you’re allergic to chicken eggs, you may also be allergic to quail eggs. You should practice extreme caution if you want to test your tolerance for quail eggs and only do so under the supervision of a medical professional.

It’s also possible to be allergic to quail eggs even if you don’t have a chicken egg allergy. If you have any concerns, you should discuss them with your healthcare provider.

Most quail eggs are unpasteurized, so pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems should only eat them if they have been fully cooked. Some people may also be allergic to quail eggs.