Why are egg white good for you

Once you get the hang of separating egg whites from egg yolks, egg whites can be an extremely nutritious option for those looking to reap the benefits of eggs while dieting, or trying to slim down. Of course, if you don't get the hang of separating the parts of the egg, you deem it to be overly messy, or you feel bad about throwing away egg yolks, there are a number of brands that make boxed liquid egg whites which can simply poured into a bowl or a pan — could eating egg whites get any easier?

High in protein, but without cholesterol or saturated fat, egg whites are the perfect choice for people on a healthy diet (via Live Science). At the same time, they lack some of the important nutritional aspects of the egg yolk.

Here's what happens to your body if you eat egg whites every day.

You won't be consuming the cholesterol contained in the egg yolk

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A whole egg contains 211 milligrams of cholesterol (via Healthline). Every last milligram of that is contained in the yolk of the egg. Therefore, when you're eating egg whites exclusively, you won't be taking in any cholesterol. This may not be a huge deal though, as research has shown that cholesterol in eggs has little impact on the amount of cholesterol in your blood (via Healthline). Healthy people can eat seven eggs weekly without much of a change in their cholesterol levels.

However, if you are still concerned about the levels of cholesterol in eggs, it's easy to make the switch to all whites. In recipes, egg whites can be swapped out for whole eggs by using two egg whites for every one whole egg called for.

Egg whites don't contain any of the 5 grams of fat found in eggs either, and contain only 16 of the whole egg's 71 calories.

You'll get your protein fix

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Egg whites feature 5 of the 6 grams of protein in an egg. If you fear that consuming only the whites of eggs will leave you feeling hungry for the rest of the morning, think again. You'll be getting 5 percent of your daily recommended value of protein, which has been shown to curb appetite — so you will feel full for longer (via Live Science).

Although protein is most commonly thought of as a muscle builder, it also has a number of other functions in the body, and is found in each of the body's cells. Hair and nails are composed primarily of protein and it's the building blocks of enzymes and hormones. Protein also plays an important role in the bones, cartilage, skin, and blood.

Given the fact that animal products like chicken, pork, fish, and beef are some of the best sources of protein, it can sometimes be difficult for vegetarians to consume the proper amount of protein, and egg whites can be helpful in doing so.

You'll miss out on much of the nutritional value of whole eggs

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While egg whites are great for protein, they are lacking in a number of the other nutrients that are found in the yolk of the egg. Although egg yolks contain cholesterol, calories, and saturated fat, they also contain a wide variety of other nutrients. 

The majority of an egg's vitamins are stored in the yolk as well, with 8 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin A, 52 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B12, and 12 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B2. Meanwhile, 21 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin D is contained in the yolk, as well as 29 percent of the recommended daily value of folate. Just 9 percent of the recommended daily value of selenium, 1 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B5, and 6 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B2 is housed in the egg white. 

We all have our preferences on the egg whites vs egg yolk topic, but when it comes down to nutrients how do they differ? We’ve broken down the nutritional qualities of each below.

Protein

Eggs are considered one of the highest quality forms of protein ahead of cow’s milk and beef. Egg whites are especially renowned for their high levels of protein, however yolk contains more on a gram for gram basis. Egg whites have 10.8g per 100g but are trumped by egg yolk which contains 16.4g per 100g. However, as there is more egg white volume than yolk in each egg, white grabs the protein spotlight.

Fats

Eggs contain a number of different types of fat which are present entirely within the yolk. They are naturally high in monounsaturated fats. These fats help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels. Eggs also offer polyunsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed for normal brain function. Egg whites have no fat content whatsoever.

Vitamins and minerals

The vitamin qualities of the egg are all included in the yolk too - the so-called fat soluble vitamins A, E, D and K can all be found in this yellow nucleus together with significant amounts of B vitamins (B2, B12 and folate). The egg white contains much smaller amounts of these B vitamins. The yolk also contains a variety of minerals which are incredibly important for our bodies to function properly - these include selenium, phosphorus and iodine, whereas the whites contain much lower concentrations of these nutrients.

Calories

Calories are a measurement of energy found within your food. Keeping these calories balanced against your energy use helps maintain a healthy weight. A typical medium egg contains fewer than 70 calories and can help with portion control. Egg whites contain a total of 15 calories based on a medium sized egg whilst the nutrient-dense yolk has around 52 calories.

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