Egg Yolk vs. Egg White: Which Is Better?

What Is the Difference Between Egg Yolk and Egg White?

When you crack open an egg, you’ll find an egg yolk, the creamy yellow center, surrounded by the egg white, a cloudy viscous liquid. In cooking, egg yolks are used for egg washes, to provide a glassy sheen on baked goods, for emulsifying into mayonnaise, hollandaise, or other dressings for a thick, rich texture, and to make sweet and creamy custards. Egg whites are often used in baking as meringue or to provide an airy texture to desserts like angel food cake or macaroons as they take on a stable foam texture when whipped. 

The egg yolk is rich and creamy in texture and high in fat, including essential fatty acids like omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids, cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, and protein. They also provide over 100% of the daily value (DV) for choline, which may have heart-protective effects, and selenium, a mineral critical for thyroid and cognitive health.^{2, 3} 

An egg white is the clear, runny liquid that surrounds the yolk. When raw, it’s almost see-through; when cooked, it becomes opaque and white. Egg whites are low in calories, fat, and most vitamins and minerals, although they are an excellent source of selenium, riboflavin, and sodium. They’re also high in protein, which makes them a popular choice among those on a weight loss journey or building strength and muscle. 

Taste

Egg yolks have a rich flavor and creamy texture that adds depth and richness to dishes, while egg whites have a more neutral taste, making them versatile for various recipes.

Nutrition

Egg yolks are nutrient-dense, offering more calories, fat, protein, and many vitamins and minerals in each serving. On the other hand, Egg whites are very low in calories, fat, and most vitamins and minerals but have a higher amount of protein. 

Health benefits

Egg yolks are rich in nutrients that many people do not get enough of, including vitamin D and choline, both of which play a role in cancer and heart disease prevention and promote healthy brains, bones, and more. While egg whites may lack these micronutrients, they’re high in protein and low in calories, which makes them ideal for anyone managing their weight or including strength training in their exercise routine. 

Price

Purchasing the whole egg and separating the egg and yolk yourself keeps the price pretty equal. Purchasing them pre-separated significantly increases the cost. Boxed egg whites are commonly found in grocery stores for around $5 for a 32-ounce container. Liquid egg yolks can be difficult to find as a private consumer but are available for bakers to purchase in bulk. Powdered egg yolks are slightly easier to find and can be purchased in some grocery stores or online but for a much higher cost than liquid egg whites. 

Which One Is Better: Egg Yolk or Egg White?

Egg whites often get the stamp of approval as a “healthy” food because they’re carbohydrate-free, almost fat-free, and high-quality protein. But even with this desirable macronutrient makeup, the lack of micronutrients leaves a lot to be desired. 

Egg yolks are incredibly nutrient-dense, providing a significant amount of essential vitamins and minerals, fatty acids (including saturated fat and healthy fats like polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat), protein, and calories. While the extra calories and fat may be seen as less desirable, research shows that eating the whole egg, with the yolk and the white, may have beneficial effects on improving overall diet quality, increasing HDL cholesterol levels, and even influencing essential amino acids in the blood that may have a protective effect against type 2 diabetes.⁴ 

Over the years, dietary cholesterol has been found to have less of an impact on blood cholesterol levels and may not be as detrimental to cardiovascular disease as once thought.⁵

The idea that egg yolks will lead to weight gain because of the higher calorie and fat content may not be entirely true either. A 2023 review found that eating whole eggs has no negative effects on body weight or body composition.⁶

Nutrition

Egg yolks have six times the amount of calories as egg whites and 150% more fat. While egg yolks have 1,224% more cholesterol than egg whites and more carbohydrates, they’re both overall low in carbohydrates and high in protein. 

Glycemic Index

As a whole, eggs are a very low glycemic index food as they’re very low in carbohydrates, the nutrient that impacts blood sugar. One large egg has just 0.4 grams of carbohydrates, so its effect on blood sugar is very minor. Arguably, egg whites would have a lower glycemic index than egg yolks, as they contain less carbohydrates, but both are at or close to zero on the GI scale.⁷

Vitamins

Egg yolks are an excellent source of several vitamins, providing over 20% of the DV of vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, choline, and vitamin D, and over 10% of thiamin, and vitamin E. Egg whites are an excellent source of riboflavin but have no or minute amounts of other vitamins. 

Minerals

Egg yolks are a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium, while egg whites have very few minerals aside from sodium and selenium.