Egg whites

Egg Whites Nutrition

Eggs are loaded with a variety of beneficial nutrients.

However, the nutritional value of an egg can vary greatly, depending on whether you eat the whole egg or just the egg whites.

This article takes a detailed look at the nutritional profile of egg whites and explores whether they're a healthier choice than whole eggs.

Nutrition Facts of Egg Whites and Whole Eggs

Egg whites are the clear, thick liquid that surrounds the bright yellow yolk of an egg.

In a fertilized egg, they act as a protective layer to defend a growing chicken from harmful bacteria. They also provide some nutrients for its growth.

Egg whites are made up of around 90% water and 10% protein.

So if you remove the yolk and choose just the egg white, then the nutritional value of your egg changes considerably.

The chart below shows the nutritional differences between the egg white of a large egg and a whole, large egg:

	Egg White	Whole Egg
Calories	16	71
Protein	4 grams	6 grams
Fat	0 grams	5 grams
Cholesterol	0 grams	211 mg
Vitamin A	0% of the RDI	8% of the RDI
Vitamin B12	0% of the RDI	52% of the RDI
Vitamin B2	6% of the RDI	12% of the RDI
Vitamin B5	1% of the RDI	35% of the RDI
Vitamin D	0% of the RDI	21% of the RDI
Folate	0% of the RDI	29% of the RDI
Selenium	9% of the RDI	90% of the RDI

As you can see, an egg white contains fewer calories and micronutrients, as well as less protein and fat, than a whole egg.

An egg white contains fewer calories than a whole egg. It is also lower in protein, cholesterol, fat, vitamins, and minerals.

Low in Calories but High in Protein

Egg whites are high in Protein but low in calories. In fact, they pack around 67% of all the protein found in eggs.

This protein is high-quality and complete, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids in the amounts your body needs to function at its best.

Due to their high protein content, eating egg whites may have some health benefits. Protein can help curb your appetite, so eating egg whites could make you feel fuller for longer.

Getting enough protein is also important for maintaining and building muscle — especially if you’re trying to lose weight.

Given that whole eggs provide you with only slightly more protein for quite a few extra calories, egg whites can be an appealing choice for people who are trying to lose weight.

The egg whites from a large egg provide 4 grams of protein and only 17 calories. This can make them a good food choice for people trying to lose weight.

Low in Fat and Free of Cholesterol

In the past, eggs have been a controversial food choice due to their high saturated fat and cholesterol content.

However, all of the cholesterol and fat in eggs is found in the egg yolk. Egg whites, on the other hand, are almost pure protein and contain no fat or cholesterol.

For years, this meant that eating egg whites was considered healthier than eating whole eggs.

But studies have now shown that for most people, the cholesterol in eggs isn't a problem.

Nevertheless, for a small number of people — called "hyper-responders" — eating cholesterol will raise blood levels slightly.

Hyper-responders have genes that predispose them to high cholesterol, such as the ApoE4 gene. For these people or individuals with high cholesterol, egg whites may be a better choice.

Additionally, given that egg whites contain almost no fat, they are significantly lower in calories than whole eggs.

This can make them a good choice for people trying to limit their calorie intake and lose weight.

Egg whites are low in cholesterol and fat. This makes them a good choice for people who need to limit their cholesterol intake, as well as those trying to lose weight.

Potential Risks

Egg whites are usually a safe food choice. However, they do carry some risks.

Allergies

Though egg whites are safe for most people, egg allergies can occur.

Most egg allergies are experienced by children, who often outgrow the condition by the time they reach the age of five.

An egg allergy is caused by your immune system incorrectly identifying some of the proteins in eggs as harmful.

Mild symptoms can include rashes, hives, swelling, a runny nose, and itchy, watery eyes. People can also experience digestive distress, nausea, and vomiting.

While it's rare, eggs can cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylactic shock.

This causes a number of symptoms, including a drop in blood pressure and severe swelling in your throat and face — which could be deadly if combined.

Salmonella Food Poisoning

Raw egg whites also pose a risk of food poisoning from the bacteria Salmonella.

Salmonella can be present in the egg or on the eggshell, though modern farming and cleanliness practices can minimize this risk.

Furthermore, cooking egg whites until they are solid significantly reduces your risk of this problem.

Reduced Biotin Absorption

Raw egg whites may also reduce the absorption of the water-soluble vitamin biotin, which is found in a wide variety of foods.

Biotin plays an important role in energy production.

Raw egg whites contain the protein avid in, which can bind to biotin and stop its absorption.

In theory, this could be a problem. However, you would have to eat large amounts of raw egg whites to cause a biotin deficiency.

Additionally, once the eggs are cooked, avid in doesn't have the same effect.

There are some risks associated with eating raw egg whites, including allergic reactions, food poisoning, and biotin deficiency. However, the risk for most people is small.