Food comparison · IFCT 2017
Egg white vs Whole egg: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g raw, egg white has a third of the energy of whole egg, 45 kcal against 135, and almost no fat, 0.1 g against 9.2 g, according to IFCT 2017. Whole egg has more protein, 13.3 g against 10.8 g, and nearly all of the egg's iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E and DHA, which sit in the yolk.
Egg white and Whole egg, nutrient by nutrient
Every nutrient IFCT 2017 reports for both, per 100 g of the edible portion. The last column names the side with more of it, which is not always the better side: more sodium or saturated fat is not an advantage.
| Nutrient | Egg white | Whole egg | More in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 45 kcal | 135 kcal | Whole egg |
| Protein | 10.8 g | 13.3 g | Whole egg |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | 0 g | Same |
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | 0 g | Same |
| Total fat | 0.1 g | 9.2 g | Whole egg |
| Water | 86.7 g | 76.5 g | Egg white |
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 6 mg | 49 mg | Whole egg |
| Iron | 0.07 mg | 1.82 mg | Whole egg |
| Zinc | 0.03 mg | 1.23 mg | Whole egg |
| Magnesium | 11 mg | 12 mg | Whole egg |
| Phosphorus | 16 mg | 185 mg | Whole egg |
| Potassium | 152 mg | 138 mg | Egg white |
| Sodium | 166 mg | 123 mg | Egg white |
| Copper | 0.03 mg | 0.07 mg | Whole egg |
| Selenium | 21.2 µg | 40.4 µg | Whole egg |
| Vitamins | |||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.02 mg | 0.06 mg | Whole egg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.16 mg | 0.19 mg | Whole egg |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.01 mg | 0.11 mg | Whole egg |
| Folate (B9) | 5 µg | 49 µg | Whole egg |
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Egg white vs Whole egg: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/compare/egg-white-vs-whole-egg/
Energy, protein and fat
Egg white is mostly water, 86.7 g per 100 g, with the rest almost entirely protein. That gives it 45 kcal and 10.8 g of protein per 100 g, and almost no fat at 0.1 g. Whole egg, with the yolk, has 135 kcal, three times as much, and 13.3 g of protein, so per 100 g whole egg actually carries more protein. Its 9.2 g of fat all comes from the yolk.
For someone counting calories, egg white gives a lot of protein for very little energy: 100 g covers 20 per cent of a man's daily protein requirement for 2 per cent of his energy needs. Whole egg covers 25 per cent of the protein need for 6 per cent of energy.
Cholesterol and fats
Whole egg has 366 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, the highest of the 253 foods with a value in IFCT 2017. The tables give no figure for egg white, whose cholesterol is negligible because it sits in the yolk. Whole egg also has 2.96 g of saturated fat and 76 mg of DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fat that supports the brain and eyes. People told by a doctor to limit dietary cholesterol often switch to whites; for most healthy people, an egg a day within a balanced diet is a common recommendation, but individual advice should come from a doctor.
Minerals and vitamins live in the yolk
Taking out the yolk removes most of the egg's micronutrients. Whole egg has 1.82 mg of iron per 100 g against 0.07 mg in the white, 1.23 mg of zinc against 0.03 mg, 185 mg of phosphorus against 16 mg and 49 mg of calcium against 6 mg. Folate falls from 49 micrograms to 5, and selenium from 40.4 to 21.2 micrograms. Whole egg also brings 198 micrograms of retinol, 1.47 mg of vitamin E and some beta-carotene, none of which IFCT lists for the white.
The white has slightly more potassium, 152 mg against 138 mg, and more sodium, 166 mg against 123 mg. Riboflavin is close in both. IFCT 2017 prints a vitamin B6 value for egg white that is far above the whole egg and every other food on this page; it looks like a data error, so it is not counted as a strength here.
In the Indian kitchen
Egg white omelettes and egg white bhurji have become gym staples in Indian cities, often with onion, tomato, green chilli and coriander to lift the flavour. Whole eggs go into anda curry, anda bhurji, Mughlai paratha, egg roti and Kerala's mutta roast. A common middle path is one whole egg with two or three whites. Values are for raw egg; boiling or frying changes water and fat, not the basic split between white and yolk.
Which one, for what
For the lowest-calorie protein, egg white wins, and it suits strict calorie budgets or anyone told by a doctor to cut dietary cholesterol. For overall nutrition, whole egg is far richer, bringing iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E and DHA that the white lacks. For muscle, whole egg gives slightly more protein per 100 g and the yolk adds useful fat-soluble vitamins. For children, pregnant women and older adults, whole eggs are generally the better choice. On budget, discarding yolks wastes much of what you paid for, so a whole egg plus extra whites is a practical balance.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about egg white vs whole egg
Does egg white have more protein than whole egg?
No. Per 100 g raw, whole egg has 13.3 g of protein and egg white 10.8 g, according to IFCT 2017. Egg white has far fewer calories, 45 kcal against 135 kcal, so it gives more protein per calorie, but not more per gram.
Is it healthier to eat only egg whites?
Not for most people. The yolk holds nearly all of the egg's iron, zinc, folate, vitamin A, vitamin E and DHA. Egg whites suit very low-calorie plans or people advised by a doctor to limit cholesterol. Otherwise, whole eggs give much more nutrition.
How much cholesterol is in a whole egg?
IFCT 2017 lists 366 mg of cholesterol per 100 g of raw whole egg, the highest of all foods in the tables, almost all of it from the yolk; the white carries very little. People with heart disease or high cholesterol should ask their doctor how many eggs suit them.
Is egg white good for weight loss?
Egg white has 45 kcal and 10.8 g of protein per 100 g, with almost no fat, so it adds protein for very little energy. An omelette of whites with vegetables is a filling, low-calorie breakfast. Mixing in one whole egg keeps more vitamins.