Egg white scrambles and omelets have long dominated the “healthy” or “fit” portion of restaurant and fast food menus. (We’re looking at you, Egg White Delight McMuffin.)
Admittedly, they do have a lot going in their favor. Egg whites have no fat and are a banging source of fill-you-up protein, supplying 3.6 of the whole egg’s six grams.
Another perk: a specific peptide (which is a building block of protein) within the egg white has been shown in preliminary research to help lower blood pressure.
As for how many calories are in egg whites? Just 17, as opposed to 72 calories per whole, large egg. Meaning you can eat a lot of them for tons of filling protein, without going overboard on your calories.
However, as you can see from the below, egg whites don’t contain much besides protein:
|
Calories |
17 |
72 |
|
Protein |
4 grams |
6 grams |
|
Fat |
0 grams |
5 grams |
|
Saturated Fat |
0 grams |
2 grams |
|
Vitamin A |
0 mcg |
270 IU |
|
Vitamin B12 |
0 mcg |
0.5 mcg |
|
Vitamin D |
0 IU |
41 IU |
|
Folate (DFE) |
1 mcg |
24 mcg |
So what’s healthier—egg whites or whole eggs?
It’s the egg yolk that contains the fat and most of the calories, sure—but that’s where you’ll find 10 percent of your recommended vitamin D intake, 12 percent of your recommended folate intake, and nearly 20 percent of your recommended vitamin A needs. That’s a lot of bang for your caloric buck.
“I say eat the whole egg. An egg white isn’t healthier than a whole egg,” says Amy Goodson, R.D., a sports dietitian in Dallas, Texas. She explains that while people used to fear the cholesterol content in the yolk, “the truth is that eating cholesterol does not raise blood levels of cholesterol. The nutrient benefits of the whole egg are far more valuable,” she says.
There may be one time you want to go white only: “If you’re really trying to cut back on your calories, you can eat the egg white,” she adds—although she stresses that you will also miss out on key vitamins and minerals.
But the whole egg is pretty good for weight loss, too. If you’re worried about the additional calories or fat, know that some studies show that eating two eggs for breakfast as part of a healthy diet can help you shed pounds.
“The protein and fat content will keep your blood sugar stabilized and you feeling satisfied in the hours after consumption,” adds Goodson.
Count that as a major win for whole eggs.
