Interesting Egg White Recipes & Facts

The fitness industry made egg white the new black in terms of lean, toned and sculpted. And ‘ripped’ – this is the term to use in this context. It was certainly branded a super food, and found its way onto the smart and knowing menus around ‘town’. For ‘town’, read the smart capitals of the western world and its aspirants. Certainly, egg whites packed in bottles can still be found for sale on the health food and supplement websites, along with protein shakes and growth supplements. High protein dieters will still be proponents of the denatured egg.

Egg whites – Photograph by tokyofoodcast

Eggs are, in truth, worthy of being called a superfood – though there is no fixed definition of superfood, per se. The problem with using the egg white only is that you lose half of the superfood, and the new new black is that an egg is healthier in its whole form. Egg whites are basically just water and (very) high-quality protein.

But the yolk contains almost as much protein as the white. Plus the yolk contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, omega-3s, and an array of vitamins including A, D, and B12. It is also a good source of folate, phosphorus, and a very good source of selenium.?

Egg yolks also contain a substantial amount of cholesterol, of course, along with a modest amount of saturated fat and this is what gave them the ‘bad guy’ reputation and stopped people using them. It is important to remember that most of the cholesterol in your body comes from your liver, not from the foods you eat. The amount of cholesterol in your diet actually has a fairly limited impact on your blood cholesterol levels. And while it’s true that a diet high in saturated fat can drive up your blood cholesterol, a large egg yolk contains less than two grams of saturated fat. In fact, there is actually more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat in an egg yolk than saturated fat.

The latest research clearly shows that healthy people can eat one or two eggs a day without any adverse effect on their cholesterol levels or their risk of heart disease.

Those using high protein weight loss programmes and who are concerned about carbohydrates can rest easy as a yolk contains only 3% carbohydrates, or just over 8 grams. The white, admittedly, only contains 1% carbohydrate but this is unimportant compared to the benefits of not denaturing the egg, as expressed above.

But going back to whites on their own, they are easy to cook with and there are a number of egg white recipes, including meringues, macaroons, nougats and other wonderful sweet treats that need to be loaded with sugar to achieve any sort of status at all. This blog is not dedicating itself to this sort of recipe – more’s the pity – but to the healthier type, those that found their way onto the aforementioned smart menus in town. Body builders who need to lose that very last 1% of water and body fat before an event will feed themselves, amongst other things, on the following tasty dishes and so can you.

Egg white omelette – Photograph by The Three

Spinach and Egg White Omelette (Served 3 to 4)

50g spinach, frozen or fresh
8 egg whites, beaten
1 tsp fresh garlic, chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
Sea salt & black pepper to taste

?Method

1. Cook the spinach according to frozen packet instructions or sauté fresh spinach until wilted and just tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the coconut oil in a small skillet or frying pan, add the garlic and onion and cook until just slightly brown. Add the spinach and stir fry for a minute. Season to taste with pepper and salt and set aside.
3. Heat a non-stick-pan and pour in your beaten egg whites. Tilt the pan to distribute the egg whites and fry over medium to low heat until it becomes whitish and set in the middle. Turn carefully and cook the other side. Place your spinach in the centre of the egg whites and flip one side of the omelette over the spinach. Press down slightly and cook for approximately 40 seconds on low heat. Turn and cook the other side.
4. Serve with a salad or mixed hearty vegetables.

Beaten egg whites – Photograph by Veronica

Egg White Quiche (Serves 4 to 5)

2 carrots, shredded
1 courgette, shredded
12 egg whites
Spray oil
Spinach, from frozen, cooked & chopped
½ broccoli, diced
Sea salt, to taste

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees – grease cake pan with spray oil.
2. Whisk egg whites with pinch of salt – stiff peak, do not over whisk.
3. Add all the vegetables gently, fold in well and pour mixture into cake tin.
4. Bake 20 mins, or until set but still soft. It will continue to cook for a few minutes.
5. Serve with salad or vegetables.

We hope you enjoy these recipes, and would love to hear from you if you’ve made any and put your own gourmet diet delivery twist on them, so please leave us a comment. And remember, it’s OK to include the yolk once in a while!