Egg Whites

The Health Benefits, Nutritional Value and Uses of Egg Whites

Nutritional Vaue

Egg whites have become popular due to their high protein and low cholesterol content. The whole egg was once a breakfast staple, but since it has been shown to be high in cholesterol, it has become a food that we tend to avoid. However, egg whites, once separated from the yolk, have very little cholesterol and one cup (four egg whites) has twenty-six grams of protein. Egg whites also contain essential minerals including; Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Copper, Zinc, Iron.

The egg white is also a good source of riboflavin and selenium along with essential vitamins, such as folate, B12, niacin betaine and choline. The egg yolk is certainly high in cholesterol, but it does contains more essential nutrients and fatty acids than the egg white. However, the egg white is still a healthier choice over the whole egg.

Flavor and Uses

By itself, the egg white has a very bland flavor, which allows it to easily pick up the flavors of other foods, such as peppers and onions. They also blend well and cook quickly. Egg whites are versatile and can be used in all kinds of food dishes, such as egg white omelets, breakfast sandwiches, and salads.

Due to their high protein content, egg whites are recommended to chemotherapy and renal patients and body builders use egg whites to boost protein levels.

Furthermore, there are a number of non-culinary uses for egg whites. In medieval times, egg whites were used for medicinal purposes, such as treating wounds and broken bones. They are also used as facial masks.

Obtaining Egg Whites

1)Separate the white from the yolk by passing it back and forth between the broken shells into a bowl.

2)Eggs can be boiled in the shell. Once the shell has been peeled away, the yolks are easily taken out.

3)Egg whites can be bought in a store, such as Better'n Eggs by Michael Foods. They come pasteurized in a cardboard container with a re-seable top and keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Although a bit more expensive than whole eggs, they are very convenient to use and have a nice yellow tint from the use of a natural food colorant, Beta Carotene. Each one cup equals four egg whites.

Recommendation

Make egg whites a healthy addition to your daily diet, especially since they are high in protein content. Furthermore, they are easy to cook, versatile and relatively inexpensive.