Cracking the Egg Debate: The Surprising Truth About Yolks vs. Whites

If you enjoy scrambled eggs, a veggie omelet, sunny-side up, or hard-boiled eggs, you’ve probably wondered which is healthier: the egg white or the yolk—the protein or the yolk (an easy way to remember is that “protein” relates to milk and the white color, while “yolk” relates to lemon and the yellow part). Recently, a TikTok trend has young people opting for the egg whites. They make omelets with three whites, especially after workouts—and discard the cholesterol.

Dietitian Dr. Maya Rosman was asked on her Facebook page this week which is healthier—the egg white or the yolk. “It’s an excellent question because many people think the white is healthier, but it’s actually the opposite—all the nutritional values are in the yolk,” she wrote in Maariv. “Although the yellow yolk contains all the cholesterol, it is now known that this cholesterol is not directly and solely responsible for heart disease and artery blockage. Today, it’s recommended to consume one egg a day, and some even go as far as recommending two a day.”

“The egg yolk has slightly more protein and contains iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and lecithin, which is important for proper blood flow and prevents—yes, prevents—heart disease,” Rosman continued. “The white contains only water and protein, with a slightly lower protein content than the yolk. The white is also very low in calories—about 17 calories each—so you can make a larger omelet using one whole egg plus one or two additional whites without significantly increasing the calorie count.”