Looking for a quick, healthy breakfast but short on time? There's no better high-protein, low-carb, low-fat, and cholesterol-free food that egg whites! Egg white from an extra large egg has on average 16 calories, less than 1 g of fat and carbohydrate and, most importantly, NO CHOLESTEROL! 

Why just egg whites sans the golden yolk? Because of the cholesterol! One large egg yolk alone packs about 210 mg of cholesterol. The total recommended daily value, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and as seen on the Nutrition Facts Label, is only 300 mg! That's almost a whole day's worth of cholesterol in just one egg yolk!

What is so bad about cholesterol? Among the reasons for cholesterol’s bad press is its affiliation with cardiovascular disease. Cholesterol is a major component of fatty plaque, a sticky substance that accumulates in the lining of your arteries. Too much cholesterol can clog important coronary arteries and result in a heart attack. However, not all cholesterol is bad and contrary to widespread belief, changing the amount of cholesterol in the diet has only a minor influence on blood cholesterol concentration in most people.[1] The effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol is different in everyone, ranging from “hyper- to hyporesponders,” due, in part, to genetics.[2] Generally, however, it is ideal to maintain a low LDL level, the measure of “bad” cholesterol. Eating egg yolks can increase LDL levels in your blood.

Bottom line: Avoid the yolk if you can. A common misconception is that losing the yolk means losing the protein content of eggs. This is simply not true! In fact, egg whites have MORE protein than egg yolks: 3.60 g in whites vs. 2.70 g in the yolk (for a large egg).[3] In addition, the protein found in eggs contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. For all you egg fans out there, congratulations, because you have discovered the “perfect protein”!

Essential Egg Tools for the Kitchen:                        

Now that you’re saving extra calories and sparing yourself artery-clogging cholesterol from egg yolks, you might as well hold off on the butter and oil, too! I recently purchased the Microwave Omelette Maker which lets me make egg-white omelets in one minute without frying in greasy, fat-laden food substances. Highly recommended, this tool saves time and pounds!