egg white or not to egg white

fabdivac

what is the deal with egg whites versus the whole egg. egg whites are not very good, very bland, is there really a nutritional value to only having the egg whites? and what is it?

pretentiouskate

Protein without the fat and cholesterol. I personally flavor mine up with additives like veggies, salsa,lowfat turkey sausage, and/or hot sauce.

SMarie10

I'm with you pretensious... Never eat my eggs without lots of veges or turkey sausage mixed in. I really like Fox Point seasoning from Penzey's - adds lots of flavor. I usually have one whole egg and then add egg beaters egg whites to beef it up a bit.

taso42_DELETED

Yep, taking out the yolk lowers the fat & cholesterol. But the yolks also happen to contain most of the egg's vitamins. One thing you can do is use 1 or 2 whole eggs, and use whites for the rest. I find that to be a good compromise in terms of flavor and color.

Zeromilediet

To me egg whites by themselves are unappetizing (i.e., egg white omelet), but everyone is different. I'd rather give up something else than ditch the yolk. Also, in terms of what I get nutritionally from the yolk, IMO it's worth it to eat and I love a poached or boiled farm fresh egg 3-4 days a week . Lots of fitness gurus and pro weight lifters really encourage the whites-only eating, however. To me, a diet shouldn't be about eating things you don't like, but rather eating the things you do like in moderation. Read this, then decide: http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Egg_Yolk.html

Kind regards,
Leslie

JBennis1013

Yep, taking out the yolk lowers the fat & cholesterol. But the yolks also happen to contain most of the egg's vitamins. One thing you can do is use 1 or 2 whole eggs, and use whites for the rest. I find that to be a good compromise in terms of flavor and color.

This is what I do sometimes as it still has that yolky flavor to it even though I'm only using 1. But I do like eggwhites by themselves as well.

EricMurano

I eat the whole egg. I'd rather keep all that lovely protein!

Removing the yolk is like pro-life versus pro-choice. You'll never get the right answer; you just have to pick a side.

DianaPowerUp

An entire large egg has about 70 cal and 7 gm of protein. The white has only about 17 cal, and 4 gm of protein, so the yolk has doesn't give you as much in terms of prot. as cal. So I guess for many people, they want just the protein with minimal cal, and therefore don't eat yolks.

For me, the yolks are my favorite part of the egg! And if I eat an entire egg, it's only 70 cal, and has 7 gm of protein, and tastes WAY better than just the white, so I eat the whole thing.

sunkisses

I use the whole egg, but I try to limit myself to like 2-3 a week and have other things that aren't as "controversial" for breakfast the other days. hehe

LorinaLynn

I eat the whole egg. I'd rather keep all that lovely protein!

Removing the yolk is like pro-life versus pro-choice. You'll never get the right answer; you just have to pick a side.

*snarf* Love that!

I go for the whole egg, too. The yolk's the best part!

realme56

When I was younger I hated yolks but then I learned how good they are cooked just right! When doing an omelet or scramble I agree that using some whole and some egg whites is a good way to decrease the fat/cholesterol. I love tomatoes in my egg, they are made for each other.

fabdivac

perfect!

chasing_130

i eat egg whites every single day either with salsa or hot sauce or pepper. they're delicious i think

EricMurano

An entire large egg has about 70 cal and 7 gm of protein. The white has only about 17 cal, and 4 gm of protein, so the yolk has doesn't give you as much in terms of prot. as cal. So I guess for many people, they want just the protein with minimal cal, and therefore don't eat yolks.

That's a good point. I can see why if you're trying to increase the protein you're eating with minimal extra calories then having heaps of whites is a no brainer. I guess that's why body builders have egg whites a lot. They need a butt load of protein yet still have daily caloric targets.

Most of us here don't need to find 200g of protein a day, though.

EricMurano

Well I tried making an omelette with two whole eggs and whites from 4 eggs. With the vegetables I added the whole meal ended up being 260 calories. I am so freakin full it's not funny!

If I had left the yolks in those four extra eggs the meal would have been nearly 500 calories.

I'm liking this egg whites idea (OMG did I just switch lol)

needamulligan

have you ever tried sriracha on your egg whites? yum! sriracha makes everything taste better

Grokette

We should be eating the egg yolk, the MOST nutritious part of the egg.............

Please read the article below for details..........

Egg Nutrition: Yolk vs. White

Egg yolks are indeed full of cholesterol. Like most cholesterol-rich foods, they are jam-packed full of important nutrients, especially the fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.

In fact, the slew of nutrients in an egg yolk is so comprehensive that a few a day would offer better insurance than a multi-vitamin. Most importantly, the yolk contains most of the nutrients in an egg.

Egg whites, on the other hand, contain far fewer nutrients. The only thing that could justify their consumption is their attachment to their companion yolk.

Don't believe it? Below is a table that compares the nutritional value of egg whites and yolks, with data provided by the USDA. I've included additional analysis in the last two columns that provides the percentage of the total nutrition found in the yolk and the percentage of total nutrition found in the white.


Table 1: Egg Yolks Versus Egg Whites
Nutrient
White
Yolk
% Total in White
% Total in Yolk

Protein
3.6 g
2.7g
57%
43%

Fat
0.05g
4.5g
1%
99%

Calcium
2.3 mg
21.9 mg
9.5%
90.5%

Magnesium
3.6 mg
0.85 mg
80.8%
19.2%

Iron
0.03 mg
0.4 mg
6.2%
93.8%

Phosphorus
5 mg
66.3 mg
7%
93%

Potassium
53.8 mg
18.5 mg
74.4%
25.6%

Sodium
54.8 mg
8.2 mg
87%
13%

Zinc
0.01 mg
0.4 mg
0.2%
99.8%

Copper
0.008 mg
0.013 mg
38%
62%

Manganese
0.004 mg
0.009 mg
30.8%
69.2%

Selenium
6.6 mcg
9.5 mcg
41%
59%

Thiamin
0.01 mg
0.03 mg
3.2%
96.8%

Riboflavin
0.145 mg
0.09 mg
61.7%
48.3%

Niacin
0.035 mg
0.004 mg
89.7%
9.3%

Pantothenic acid.
0.63 mg
0.51 mg
11%
89%

B6
0.002 mg
0.059 mg
3.3%
96.7%

Folate
1.3 mcg
24.8 mcg
5%
95%

B12
0.03 mcg
0.331 mcg
8.3%
91.7%

Vitamin A
0 IU
245 IU
0%
100%

Vitamin E
0 mg
0.684 mg
0%
100%

Vitamin D
0 IU
18.3 IU
0%
100%

Vitamin K
0 IU
0.119 IU
0%
100%

DHA and AA
0
94 mg
0%
100%

Carotenoids
0 mcg
21 mcg
0%
100%




Data taken from the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 15. AA and DHA data from NutritionData.Com. Since the article was written, the USDA has published revisions. The latest, Release 17, can be found here.

As you can see from the table, the yolk contains 100% of the carotenoids, essential fatty acids, vitamins A, E, D, and K (6 items). The white does not contain 100% of any nutrient.

The yolk contains more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and 89% of the panthothenic acid (9 items). The white does not contain more than 90% of any nutrient, but contains over 80% of the magnesium, sodium, and niacin (3 items).

The yolk contains between 50% and 80% of the copper, manganese, and selenium, while the white contains between 50% and 80% of the potassium, riboflavin, and protein.

It should also be kept in mind that the yolk of an egg is smaller than the white. Where the white contains a slim majority of nutrients, such as protein, this is not due to a greater concentration in the white, but simply to the fact that there is more white in the egg than yolk.


Egg Yolks Would Resolve Americans' Most Common Nutrient Deficiencies

According to the Executive Summary of the Third Report on Nutrition Monitoring in the United States by the Interagency Board for Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's Life Sciences Research Office, the following is true:


Most groups have a deficient median intake of magnesium.
Several groups have a deficient median intake of calcium.
Children aged 1-2 and most groups of females have a deficient median intake of iron.
Blacks over the age of 16 and Mexican-Americans over the age of 60 have a deficient median intake of folate.
All age groups and races have a deficient median intake of vitamins A, E, B6, and copper.

Considering this information, the importance of the egg yolk and relative unimportance of the egg white becomes even more clear. The yolk contains the majority of the copper, nearly all of the calcium, iron, folate, and B6, and 100% of the vitamins A and E.

The white, on the other hand, is only useful as an added source of magnesium, or if the diet is on the whole deficient in protein. The simple addition of an adequate amount of meat in the diet would provide for both.

Finally, eggs are an excellent source of carotenoids. These are primarily highly absorbable forms of lutein and its partner zeaxanthin. These carotenoids accumulate in the back of the eye and appear to protect against age-related macular degeneration. There is no RDA for them, as researchers are still trying to understand their importance. All of the lutein and zeaxanthin in an egg is contained in the yolk.



Egg Yolks Contain Essential Fatty Acids DHA and Arachidonic Acid

One important set of nutrients that should not be overlooked is the long-chain essential fatty acids. Egg yolks contain the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is necessary for the brain and proper retinal function in the eye, and the long-chain omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid, which is required for the healthy skin, hair, libido, reproduction, growth and response to injury. These fatty acids are primarily needed by young children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with degenerative diseases involving oxidative stress, especially those of the nervous system such as Alzheimer's. While fatty fish and cod liver oil supply DHA in larger amounts, egg yolks have an advantage over these foods because they also contain arachidonic acid and because they do not contain EPA, which interferes with arachidonic acid metabolism.

According to NutritionData.Com, one egg yolk contains 75 mg of arachidonic acid (AA), 20 mg of DHA, but no EPA. As I describe in my Special Report, How Essential Are the Essential Fatty Acids?, DHA and AA are the two fatty acids essential to humans and other mammals, while EPA interferes with the body's use of AA and probably does not belong in the mammalian body at all.


Animal foods from animals raised on pasture are likely much richer in DHA. In all eggs, both the DHA and AA are contained in the yolk.

Egg Yolks Do Not Cause Heart Disease — Egg Yolks Are Good for Your Heart!

Concerned about the cholesterol in egg yolks? Worried about protecting your heart health? Egg yolks have long been maligned because of their cholesterol content, but cholesterol itself does not cause heart disease. In fact, while LDL, a major carrier of cholesterol in the blood, does have a role in heart disease, it is when poor metablism, deficient diets, and toxins destroy the LDL particle that heart disease develops. You can read more about this in my extensive article High Cholesterol and Heart Disease — Myth or Truth? Or, listen to my interview with Jimmy Moore on the Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Show, Chris Masterjohn on the Health Benefits of Cholesterol." No reading required!

And, in fact, the University of Connecticut has extensively studied the effects of eggs on cholesterol levels. These high-quality controlled studies have shown that when people consume three to four eggs per day, with the yolk, virtually everyone experiences either no change or beneficial changes in their cholesterol levels. Dr. Maria-Luz Fernandez has reviewed those studies here.


To Cook, or Not to Cook? The Benefits of Raw Egg Yolks

Many people believe that the health benefits of egg yolks are greater when the yolks are consumed raw. Heat destroys enzymes, reduces the amounts of certain nutrients, and may make the amino acid cysteine less available, which is needed to synthesize the master antioxidant of the cell, glutathione.

Those who eat raw egg yolks report easier digestion, increased stamina, and resistance to illness — not to mention a quicker snack if they're on-the-go.

That said, there is little evidence beyond such anecdotes that egg yolks are truly more beneficial when consumed raw.

There is also little evidence to support the common belief that consuming raw egg yolks is dangerous. Please see Dr. Mercola's article on the safety of eating raw egg yolks if you are concerned about this.

Raw Egg Whites Contain Digestive Enzyme Inhibitors and Anti-Nutrients

Raw egg whites should not be consumed. They contain inhibitors of the digestive enzyme trypsin, which are destroyed by heat. Consuming 100 grams of raw egg white with one egg yolk compared to consuming the same food cooked was shown in one study to reduce protein digestion from 90 percent down to 50 percent.

Raw egg whites also contain an anti-nutrient called avidin. Avidin is a glycoprotein that binds to the B vitamin biotin, preventing its absorption. Biotin is necessary for fatty acid synthesis and the maintenance of blood sugar, and is especially important during pregnancy when biotin status declines.


Residual Egg White Avidin — Cooking Does Not Fully Destroy the Anti-Nutrients
It is a myth that light cooking completely destroys the avidin.

According to this study, poaching eggs only destroys one third of the avidin while even frying leaves 30 percent of it behind.

This raises the question of whether there is a net nutritional advantage to eating any egg whites at all. Most likely, it depends on the individual person. There is controversy over whether biotin produced in the intestinal tract is absorbed — if intenstinal biotin production is indeed nutritionally important, then people whose intestinal flora are less avid producers of biotin probably need to be more concerned about the potential adverse effects of consuming egg white.



Finding The Right Kind of Eggs

Pastured eggs, meaning eggs from chickens that are free to forage for grass and insects, are of much higher nutritional quality than eggs from confinement chickens. The marginal increase in value, of course, is found mostly in the yolk.

Insects provide a higher DHA content, found exclusive in the yolk, and grass provides a higher vitamin E and carotene content, also found exclusively in the yolk. Egg yolks from pastured chickens are thus a powerful supplement to a healthy diet — a super-food — providing necessary nutrients in which the Standard American Diet is deficient.

To find a source of eggs from chickens raised on pasture, you can visit LocalHarvest.org and do a search for "eggs pastured" or "eggs grass fed" with your zip code. You can also visit EatWild.com and click on your state for a list of farms that pasture their animals.

Additionally, you may be able to find roadside stands in your area that sell eggs from pastured chickens. Be sure to inquire about the farming practices, to make sure that the chickens are able to forage for both grass and insects.


Back to the Basics: Taste!

The truth is that most satisfying meals one could make with eggs just don't taste right without both the yolk and the white. Most baked goods come out with a richer taste and a better texture when the yolks are included. Food should provide good nutrition — for which inclusion of the yolks is necessary! — but it should also taste good.

Food should be fun. It should be rewarding to cook, delicious to eat, and relaxing to indulge in.

The anti-cholesterol establishment upholds its poor theory and unjustified conclusions only to condemn us to a bland and unsatisfying diet, the cornerstone of which is "light cooking" with bland and taste-challenged "foods" like the notorious, emasculated, yolkless egg white.

Fear not.

You are now armed with the raw facts from the USDA's nutrition database that shows that missing out on the egg yolks means missing out on the nutrition in your breakfast. Take heart in this the next time you enjoy the incredible, edible egg yolk.

tsgaddy

Whenever I hear people complain about healthy food being bland, I just think "there goes someone else who needs to watch a cooking channel" . Try using herbs and spices to amp up the flavor. I saute mushrooms and red onions with a tablespoon of smart balance, some dried rosemary and a little dried sage. Then I add liquid egg whites make the best darn omelet for breakfast (and sometimes dinner!)

OhItsOn

I usually use 3 eggs for breakfast --- 1 whole and the other 2 just the whites.... saves on the fat but still get the other benefits.

I also usually throw some chia seeds in with my scrambled eggs or omlettes, etc... along with veggies. I don't eat eggs every day, but I do eat Flax and Chia seeds every day.... other good sources of omega 3's and or omega 6.

MeghanAM

I do 1-2 whole eggs and 1-2 egg whites almost every day for breakfast. I think it's a good compromise of the health benefits of the whole egg versus blowing my daily calories on breakfast.