Egg White Nutrition, Recipes, Uses & More

It’s time to whisk away all the myths, misconceptions, and assumptions. Let’s find out once and for all…

What’s in an egg white? 

Are egg whites good for children? And most importantly,

Which is best? Egg whites or egg yolks?

Crack open the truth about egg whites with us!

What is an Egg White?

An egg white, also known as the egg's albumen, is the clear, gelatinous substance that surrounds the yolk within the eggshell. It primarily consists of water and proteins, notably albumin. 

Egg whites contain vitamins, minerals, and protein in differing proportions when compared to egg yolks. When beaten, they turn fluffy and create a light texture in recipes like meringues, soufflés, and angel food cakes.

Egg White Nutrition

So what does an egg white consist of and how does it support your health?

• Protein - 60% of an egg's protein is in the white
  • What it does: Protein is an essential macronutrient that your body and cells need to function properly. It helps to build and maintain muscle mass, aids with injury recovery, and gives the body the “fullness” feeling.
  • Quantity per serve: 12.7g (20% RDI for men, 27% RDI for women)
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) - 67% of an egg’s riboflavin is in the white
  • What it does: Also known as vitamin B2, riboflavin is necessary for cell growth, energy metabolism, red blood cell development, healthy vision, and the sound functioning of the nervous system. It also serves as an antioxidant nutrient, fighting damaging particles in the body known as free radicals.
  • Quantity per serve: 0.4mg (24% RDI)
• Selenium - 28% of an egg’s selenium is in the white
  • What it does: Selenium is an important antioxidant that helps prevent free radical damage to cells in the body. Selenium supports the immune system, thyroid gland function, and the maintenance of healthy hair and nails.
  • Quantity per serve: 28mcg (41% RDI)

These vitamins and nutrients are not exclusively found in egg whites, but protein and riboflavin in particular are more concentrated in the white. A full list of relevant nutritional information is below.

Australian Eggs Nutrient Analysis 2018 
Conducted by the National Measurement Institute (NMI), a division within the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

Egg Yolks vs. Egg Whites

Do egg whites contain more protein than egg yolks? Yes. 

Is it significantly more, and enough for you to consider changing your diet? Probably not. In fact, egg yolks contain almost half (41%) of the protein content found in eggs. 

Likewise, if you choose to eat whites over yolks you could be missing out on essential nutrients only found in the yolk. Two egg yolks, for example, provide 82% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin D, making eggs one of the highest-quality sources of vitamin D available in food. 

If your diet consists of only egg whites, you are missing out on vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency affects anywhere between 20-40% of Australians yearly, increasing during the winter months.

Egg yolks also contain other essential nutrients, such as iron, phosphorus, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin  B12, and omega-3 fats as well as the antioxidants lutein, and zeaxanthin. While egg whites are high in riboflavin. 

When looking at the nutritional value of an egg, it’s important to take a look at everything in the shell instead of individual elements. Every part of the egg contains essential nutrients to support our health and wellbeing.