What happens when you eat only egg whites and discard the yolk
Side-effects of not eating egg yolks
Eggs are incredibly healthy, and for ages, they have been a part of a healthy diet plan. Having one whole in a day, scrambled or poached, can provide you with 13 different essential vitamins and nutrients. But nowadays there is a growing trend of discarding the yellow part of the eggs, branding it unhealthy and high in cholesterol. This trend is more common among fitness enthusiasts trying to build muscles or shed kilos. Truth be told, if you discard the yellow part, you would be depriving your body of several nutrients and will only get half the benefits of adding this super-food to your diet.
What's in a yolk?
It is the yolk of an egg that contains all the nutrients. The white part of an egg has a minimal amount of nutrients as compared to the yolk. A whole egg is loaded with vitamins A, D, E, K, and six different B vitamins. When it comes to minerals, they are packed with iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc and folate. But the distribution of these vitamins and minerals are not even. The yolk has much more nutrients than the white and missing out on them means you are not getting sufficient nutrients required by the body to carry out its internal functions. The white portion is only rich in protein.
The misconception related to the yolk
Most people discard the yolk because it is high in cholesterol, fat and sodium content. But if you consume eggs in a limited quantity, follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly, you need not be worried about cholesterol and fat content.
Whether you are trying to lose weight or build muscles, you require both cholesterol and fat for several purposes. Cholesterol is essential to make testosterone, which helps to increase energy levels and build muscles. It also helps to build vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. The D vitamin helps to build bone strength.
As far as the fat in an egg is concerned, it is mostly healthy. Consuming fat helps to keep you warm and make you feel fuller for a longer time.
The nutritional content of egg white and whole eggs:
There is a huge difference in the nutritional content of an egg white and a whole egg. Here is how the nutrients are divided:
8 egg whites
Protein: 28 grams
Carbs: 2 grams
Fats: 0 grams
Calories: 137
4 whole eggs
Protein: 28 grams
carbs: 2 grams
Fats: 21 grams
Calories: 312
The bottom line
When you are consuming an egg, it is always better to eat a whole egg to get all its nutrients. Discarding the yellow part and eating more whites will deprive you of many nutrients. Instead of having 4 egg whites, stick to 2 whole eggs. You will get more nutrients from 2 whole eggs as compared to 4 egg whites.