If you enjoy eating eggs, but don't want to worry about cholesterol, Harvard Health Publications suggests passing on the egg yolk and use pourable egg whites or yolk-free egg substitutes instead. Egg whites are low in calories (about 17 per egg white) and are free of both the cholesterol and fat found in the yolk. The Mayo Clinic says one large egg contains well over 200 mg of cholesterol, all in the yolk. But egg yolks also contain most of an egg's important nutrients. According to Diabetes.com, egg whites are of little nutritional value other than protein, but they do have some positive qualities.
Heart Healthy
The American Heart Association (AHA) says egg whites are a good substitute for whole eggs because minus the yolk, egg whites are an excellent source of heart-healthy protein. Numerous recipes that list whole eggs turn out just as well if you substitute two egg whites for each whole egg called for, the AHA suggests. Some baked goods may require an extra tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil to ensure a moist consistency.
Complete Protein
According to NutritionData.com, one serving of egg whites (about 1 cup) contains 26.5 grams of protein, which is 53 percent of the Daily Values (DV) based on a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet. The Harvard School of Public Health points out that all proteins are not alike. Some, including those found in eggs and meat, are called "complete" proteins because they contain all the amino acids required to build new proteins. Incomplete proteins typically come from grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Minerals
1 cup of egg whites contains some minerals: 17 mg of calcium, necessary for bone and teeth health (2 percent of the DV); 26.7 mg of magnesium, needed for immune system health (7 percent of the DV); 36.4 mg of phosphorus, which maintains acid-base balance (4 percent of the DV); 396 mg of potassium, which aids fluid balance and muscle contraction (11 percent of the DV); and 48.6 mcg (micrograms) of selenium, an antioxidant that guards against free radicals (69% of the DV).
Vitamins
Egg whites are low in vitamin content. 1 cup of egg whites has no vitamin A, C, D, E K or B6, and it only contains 2.7 mg of choline, 9.7 mcg of folate and scant amounts of vitamin B12, pantothenic acid and betaine.
Sugar and Fat
Egg whites are extremely low in fat and contain very little sugar. A 1-cup serving has less than a half gram of fat and 1.7 grams of sugar.
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