Eggs whites embody the image of healthy, but nutritious food and have become the epitome of clean eating. Despite the soaring increase in popularity they are enjoying, egg whites are more than just a new fad. Eating just egg whites versus whole eggs with egg yolks is good for you and can be a source of many wonderful benefits for health, provided intake is reasonable and the diet clean and healthy in its entirety.
What are the benefits of egg whites?
Very low in calories
The advent of clean eating as a diet and lifestyle has propelled egg whites to new heights, and the biggest part of their newly found popularity has to do with the fact that egg whites are very low in calories. A serving of 100 grams of egg white provides only 55 calories, even less than that. And three egg whites have only 90 grams to 110 grams meaning you get to eat and don’t pack on the calories.
Very low in fat
Everyone who likes to eat egg whites likes the fact that they are very low in fat. Fat is something you can easily get from most foods, but need very little of, yet often eat too much. Eating only egg whites vs whole eggs barely adds any fat to your meals, lessening your caloric intake significantly.
How much fat in egg whites? There is less than 0.2% fat in 100 grams of egg white, meaning less than 0.2 grams of fat. So about 3 egg whites from chicken eggs provide less than 0.2 grams of fat. How much fat in egg yolk? There are 26.5 to 29 grams of fat in 100 grams of egg yolk from chicken eggs. Other varieties of egg such as duck eggs and goose eggs have an even higher content of fat.
High in protein
Likely one of the most appreciated aspects of egg white nutrition is the high protein content of egg whites. Whatever the variety of egg, the egg white part is always naturally high in protein. In fact, egg whites consist mostly of water (somewhere between 86% and 90%) and protein (10% or more).
Is there more protein in egg white or egg yolk? In whole eggs, egg white protein represents 55% or more of the total protein content of the egg, but this is because the egg white part is bigger than the yolk part. However, egg yolks have more protein than egg whites for the same amount, meaning 100 grams of egg yolk has more protein than 100 grams of egg white. On average, 100 grams of egg white has over 10 grams of protein vs 100 grams of egg yolk which has more than 15 grams of protein.
Source of complete protein
One of the biggest benefits of egg whites is they are a source of complete protein. What this means is that egg white naturally contain all nine essential amino acids that the human body needs every day, but can’t make itself: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.
The body needs essential amino acids to produce muscle growth, bone growth, repair tissue, build connective tissue and antibodies, synthesize hormones and neurotransmitters. Essential amino acids support memory and learning, boost mood, regulate blood sugar levels and insulin production, and these are just a few of the benefits they provide.
Combat bloating
One of the most interesting benefits of egg whites is they help combat bloating. Egg whites are high in protein and high in water, but have a very low fat and carbohydrate content, and no dietary fiber, which makes them satiating, but light on the stomach and easy to digest. The specificity of their nutritional composition helps both prevent bloating, and reduce it where present. And because they are very low in calories, egg whites help you lose weight and achieve a flat stomach.
Help you lose weight and become leaner
Egg whites are good for weight loss because they are low in calories, very low in fat and carbs, but high in protein. Eating just egg whites vs whole eggs with yolk can help curb hunger and provide satiation thanks to a high protein content content, but without packing on the calories. Also, the good protein content in egg whites helps prevent fluctuations in blood sugar levels and overeating.
In addition to actively helping you slim down, egg whites help build more muscle mass which will make you appear leaner and help you lose weight faster since muscles burn more calories.
Build muscle mass and repair muscle
Eating just egg whites is good for building muscle, whether you are a bodybuilder or just looking to become leaner. Egg whites are not only high in protein, but also contain all nine essential amino acids, and conditionally essential and non-essential amino acids. The amino acids that make up the protein in egg white help repair damaged muscle fibers, build new muscle, grow muscle mass and support muscle function.
Help repair tissue
Whenever there is tissue damage, the body needs to produce extra tissue for the repairs. And this is where specific nutrients from food come in. Egg whites have a few of these nutrients needed to repair the body which are amino acids. The amino acids that make up the protein in egg whites, such as glutamine, histidine, leucine, lysine, valine, grow and repair different kinds of tissue in the body, including muscle, skin and bones, but also nerve tissue.
Lower high blood sugar levels
Eating egg whites is good for high blood sugar. Egg whites naturally have almost no carbs and sugars so they don’t raise blood sugar levels. Not just this, but egg whites are high in protein which slows down the absorption of simple carbs from other foods, helping prevent spikes in blood sugar.
Benefits for bones
Did you know that egg whites are good for bones? The amino acids that make up the protein in egg whites are involved in growing different kinds of tissues in the body, including bone tissue. Getting enough protein in your diet, as well as nutrients that go into the production of new bone tissue such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin D, helps build and maintain strong and healthy teeth and bones.
Make antibodies for the immune system
Eating egg whites is good for the immune system. Egg whites are high in protein which is an essential nutrient. The body deconstructs protein into its most basic components, amino acids, then uses the amino acids as building blocks to build tissues such as collagen and elastin, neurotransmitters for the brain and nervous system, and antibodies for the immune system. Antibodies are glycoproteins, meaning they contain proteins, and represent the basis of the immune system response.
Good to eat in diabetes
Egg whites are good to eat with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes which is typically associated with some degree of weight gain. What makes egg whites good for diabetics is their low energetic value that helps with weight loss and weight management, and high protein content that both promotes weight loss and the increase in lean mass, and satiates, helping curb hunger and prevent overeating.
Improve mood and boost productivity
Did you know that egg whites help regulate mood and improve disposition which can boost productivity? The amino acids that make up the protein in egg whites help build neurotransmitters for the brain and nervous system. Neurotransmitters regulate appetite, sleep and mood, and hold benefits for cognitive functions such as learning, memory and focus that result in clearer thinking and increased productivity. Of course, egg yolks also make a good brain food, but for different reasons.
Good for high cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol, then switching to eating egg whites vs whole eggs can be good for you. While the cholesterol in egg yolk is not the one to blame for high blood cholesterol levels, egg yolks are high in fat and calories which can contribute to weight gain and high blood cholesterol. Egg whites however are low in calories and low in fat, and have no cholesterol, which is a nutritional profile that is better for anyone with high cholesterol.
Good to eat in liver disease
The liver processes everything we put into our body, from fat and cholesterol in food to bioactive ingredients in antibiotics, blood pressure medication and other medicines, tea and herbal remedies, and toxins. In liver disease, the liver is affected and its functions and efficacy impaired to a certain extent. When the liver is affected, it helps not to strain it more by eating cleaner and low-fat. In liver disease, eating egg whites is better than eating whole eggs.
No acid reflux and no heartburn
Eating egg whites vs egg yolks or whole eggs is better for anyone with digestive conditions such as acid reflux disease, gastritis or a stomach ulcer. Egg yolks and whole eggs can be a little heavy on the stomach because they are high in fat. But egg whites are almost fat free and close to 90% water, the remaining 10% being protein, which makes them good to eat in acid reflux disease, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Due to their composition, they are light and easy on the stomach, and get digested without causing reflux or heartburn or any kind of stomach upset.
Make hair strong and combat hair fall
Egg whites are good for hair fall and actively promote hair health. The amino acids that make up the protein in egg whites promote hair growth by stimulating the growth of the hair follicle and keratinization which helps build strong hair and combat hair fall.