How Much Egg White In One Egg? (White & Yolk Nutritional Facts) Updated March 2023

Eggs are one of those ingredients found in most kitchens, they can be used to make scrambled, hard boiled, over-easy eggs, an egg white omelet or used in recipes to make virtually anything and everything. Whatever you are doing in the kitchen you almost always need to have some eggs on hand.

Eggs Benedict and deviled eggs are some other popular egg dishes. Most baked goods require eggs to bind all of the ingredients of the recipe together. Fried or breaded foods need eggs to create a breading and browned appearance. 

So, eggs are a common kitchen ingredient with a lot of uses.

In the United States, many people believe that breakfast is an important part of a healthy diet (although the studies about that are less than stellar and really don’t prove that at all). So many people will begin the day trying to get some essential amino acids, essential nutrients, and high-quality protein.

And eggs seem to have all of those things in them! However one major downside to eggs is the high levels of cholesterol that they contain. So many people have turned to just eating the egg whites instead of the whole egg.

Often people will even substitute egg whites into a recipe instead of a whole egg… but the problem is figuring out how much egg white is actually in a single egg.

How many eggs do you need to use the egg white from to substitute for one egg?

How much egg white is in a single egg?

In general, two egg whites will equal one egg when substituting for a recipe. However, if you want to know exactly how much egg white is in each size of an egg then keep reading as I will cover that next.

Below I will give how much egg whites and egg yolks are in the different sizes of egg. These measurements are based on USA sized eggs purchased from my local grocery store.

• One medium egg has about 1 tablespoons of liquid egg whites (about .5 liquid ounce). The egg yolk of medium (small) eggs is approximately 2 tablespoons (about 1 liquid ounce).

• One large egg has approximately 1 1/8 tablespoons of liquid egg whites (.56 liquid ounces). The egg yolk of a large egg is approximately 2 3/8 tablespoons (1.19 liquid ounces).

• One extra-large egg has about 1 1/4 tablespoons of liquid egg whites (.67 liquid ounces). The egg yolk of extra large eggs is approximately 2 3/4 tablespoons (1.33 liquid ounces).

• One jumbo egg has approximately 1 3/8 tablespoon of liquid egg whites (1.41 liquid ounces). The egg yolk of a jumbo egg is approximately 2 7/8 tablespoons (2.85 liquid ounces).

When beating eggs, air is introduced into the mixture making it increase in volume and giving it a lighter texture. Egg whites help to achieve this light and airy texture in some food.

Sometimes recipes call for just egg whites. When you are making some angel food cake or meringue, and your recipe calls for a certain amount of egg whites you may be confused how much to use exactly. 

You read where it says 1 cup of egg whites and wonder how much that actually is. 

About 4 to 5 average size large eggs equals one cup of eggs. Saying this, one cup of egg yolks is about 12 to 13 eggs and this means that you will need about 7 to 8 eggs for one cup of egg whites.

Egg Yolk & Egg White Nutritional Facts

Eggs are known to be a good source of protein, healthy fats, and vitamins (vitamin B, vitamin E, & vitamin D specifically) but are also known for being incredibly high in dietary cholesterol.

So although the American Heart Association doesn’t go as far and say that we should avoid eggs altogether they do note that a single egg is over 50% of the recommended daily cholesterol consumption recommendation (before it was removed in 2015).

So what the AHA recommends is that those with heart disease risk avoid eating normal eggs.

If you want to eat healthier you might want to try eating egg whites instead of whole eggs. But what exactly are the nutritional differences between egg whites, egg yolks, and a whole egg?

Well we all know that a raw egg has many healthy fats and essential nutrients. They also are well known for having high cholesterol content. But what exactly are the nutritional values for the different parts of an egg?

According to experts, a single large egg white has the following nutritional information.

• 18 g of calories
• .1 grams of fat
• 0 g of saturated fat
• 0 g of cholesterol
• 55 mg of sodium
• .2 g of carbohydrates
• 3.6 grams of protein

Large egg yolks have the following nutritional facts.

• 55 calories
• 4.5 grams of fat
• 1.6 g of saturated fat
• 184 mg of cholesterol
• 8.2 mg of sodium
• .6 g of carbohydrates
• 2.7 grams of protein

Combined one large egg has the following nutrition facts.

• 72 calories
• 4.8 grams of fat
• 1.6 g of saturated fat
• 186 mg of cholesterol
• 71 mg of sodium
• .4 g of carbohydrates
• 6.3 grams of protein

*Note: These values can vary slightly depending on the exact size of the egg.

Of course the nutritional values will vary depending on the different sizes of eggs that you are eating. If you have small eggs the information above will be reduced by about 15% while if you have an extra large or jumbo egg it will go up by 15-25%.

But as you can see, the nutritional value of egg whites is much better than eating the yolks or the entire egg.

You will especially notice how healthy egg whites are when you look at how much protein, the fewer calories, and the non-existent cholesterol levels when compared to egg yolks or entire chicken eggs.

Truly eating just the egg whites is much better for your heart health if for no other reason than the difference in cholesterol.

How Do I Substitute Egg Whites For A Whole Egg?

Eggs are incorporated into many recipes because they help to stabilize it so it doesn’t fall flat. Egg whites are used in many types of recipes. 

They add structure and thicken the mixture. 

If you only want to use egg whites in a recipe that calls for whole eggs, you can. But, how do you substitute egg whites for whole eggs?

You can substitute egg whites for whole eggs. 2 egg whites or ¼ cup of egg whites equals one whole egg. So, when you are using egg whites for a whole egg, just use 2 egg whites when it calls for one egg.

Using egg whites instead of whole eggs in recipes can be for dietary reasons. Because removing the egg altogether may affect the outcome of the dish or dessert, it is better to just use egg whites when you are on a strict diet plan. 

Just substitute 2 egg whites when the recipe calls for one egg and you are all set. If you feel as though your recipe is lacking something, make up for what it needs with other ingredients. 

What Does Egg White Do In Baking?

Egg whites are important in recipes. They are low in calories, fat and cholesterol and high in protein. This is why they are used as substitutes for whole eggs in some recipes for those who are on diets and trying to lose weight. 

A dish or dessert that uses egg whites instead of whole eggs, can also be enjoyed by someone who is watching their calorie intake but also needs a lot of protein. This includes many athletes or bodybuilders. 

But, what exactly do egg whites do in baking?

The egg whites dry and leaven the baked goods while adding volume. They are about 85% water and also supply moisture as well as a lighter and airier texture. Egg whites are also easier to whip which is why they are sometimes separated for recipes.

You need eggs in certain recipes for structure, emulsification, leavening, shortening, moisture, and color. Egg yolks blend the recipe’s mixture together binding ingredients like oil and water which normally don’t combine. 

While the egg yolks add fat and this fat adds flavor, tenderness and protein, the egg whites add volume, and a lighter and airier consistency. Egg whites act as a drying and leavening agent.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, eggs are important in recipes but just the egg whites can be used as a substitute for whole eggs. You will need to use 2 egg whites for every 1 egg and possibly some other added ingredients to make up for the yolk missing in the recipe. 

In some recipes, whole eggs don’t make it taste any better but for other recipes they are needed. If you are wanting to cut back on calories or cholesterol you can use egg whites as a substitute for whole eggs and you will still have a tasty dessert without the extra fat. 

There are approximately 1 1/8 tablespoons of egg white in one egg so make sure you use the right amount in your recipes and enjoy!