Eggs are considered to be a superfood as they are chockful of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and healthy fats. However, there has also been a lot of controversy over whether they are good or bad for us – especially because egg yolks are high in cholesterol.
So are egg whites healthier than egg yolks and should you ditch the yolks and have just the whites for breakfast every day?
Egg Whites Vs Egg Yolks
“Egg whites are low in calories & high in protein, while egg yolk contains 99% of the fats along with the fat soluble vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids”
A whole egg has a wide variety of nutrients, so in order to determine whether egg whites are healthier than egg yolks, we would have to take a close look at the nutritional data for each one.
Nutrition In Egg Whites
Egg whites are very low in calories – one egg contains 17 calories in the whites as compared to the egg yolk, which contains 55 calories. The egg whites are also higher in protein, as they contain 57% of the total proteins in an egg. Eggs whites also contain over 75% of the magnesium, potassium, and niacin content of an egg.
Egg whites contain 87% of the total sodium content of an egg. However, this would not be a problem even for people on a low sodium diet, as the limit is 1500 mg and the egg whites in an egg contain just 55 mg.
Nutrition In Egg Yolks
It is true that the egg yolk contains most of the calories and fats in an egg, but that does not mean that you should avoid them. An egg yolk contains 99% of the fat in an egg, but these fats also include fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.
The yolk contains over 90% of the Vitamin B6, Vitamin B 12, and Folate in eggs as well as over 90% of the calcium, iron, zinc, and phosphorous content of an egg.
The Scrambled Truth: Is One Healthier Than The Other?
“The yolk and the whites contain different nutrients so a whole egg is the healthiest option as it strikes the perfect nutritional balance”
You don’t have to choose one or the other, you can have both, you know! Yes, egg yolks are more nutrient dense as compared to egg whites, but the healthiest option is obviously a whole egg as this offers a wider range of nutrients. Earlier, it was believed that egg whites were superior to egg yolks since the yolk contains 100% of the cholesterol in an egg.
Scientists later refuted the notion that eggs pose a serious health risk, as they found that dietary cholesterol only causes a very slight increase in blood cholesterol. In fact, research shows that eggs can be good for your cholesterol levels as they contain several B vitamins that lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
While it is better to eat a whole egg rather than just the yolks or the whites, you should not go overboard either. Scientists have found that eating 3 eggs a day on a regular basis can have a positive impact on your health, so we suggest that you stick to that, even if you are an egg addict!
Share This Post
