Despite all their fat and cholesterol, eggs can still be part of a healthy diet. There is no need to buy expensive containers of egg substitutes to avoid the downside of eggs. Smart consumers continue to purchase regular eggs and remove the yolk from the egg prior to cooking. This allows people to obtain the benefits of this healthy food without any of the drawbacks.
Calories and Fat
The US Department of Agriculture reports that the white of one large egg has 17 calories and 0.06 g of fat. By not including the egg yolk, cooks reduce the total calorie count by 55 calories and 4.51 g of fat.
Many recipes can be re-engineered to avoid using the yolk. Generally, yolks can be reduced or omitted altogether except when making custards and some baked goods. The American Heart Association advises that patients substitute two egg whites for every whole egg in a recipe. They suggest adding a tablespoon of some kind of vegetable oil in place of the egg yolk when baking to achieve a moister food.
Minerals
One egg white has 2 mg calcium, 54 mg potassium and 5 mg phosphorus. These low values make egg whites an excellent choice for patients with advanced kidney disease who have been told to restrict their potassium and phosphorus. By using egg whites instead of whole eggs, kidney patients on restricted diets can expand their food choices to include many foods that would otherwise be off-limits.
Vitamins
Data from the USDA show that egg whites are not a good source of vitamins because they have less than 2 mg of vitamins A, B, C, D, E or K. By way of comparison, a single egg yolk from a large egg contains 25 micrograms of B-9, 245 mg of vitamin A and 37 mg of vitamin D.
People who routinely avoid egg yolks should make sure that they are getting sufficient amounts of vitamins from other sources.
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