Your Nutrition: I Eat 50 Egg Whites A Week. Is That OK?

Q: I eat 10 cooked egg whites five days a week.  Is that too much protein and can that cause digestive or other medical issues?

T.V., Wethersfield

A: Cooked egg whites are a nutritious, economical source of high quality protein. One egg white provides more than 3 grams of protein and less than 20 calories. Ten egg whites provides: 170 calories, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, and 36 grams of protein. Eating egg whites in this quantity does not provide too much protein, and will not cause digestive or other medical issues as long as they are cooked.

We all know that it is risky to consume raw egg whites because they may be infected with salmonella (destroyed during cooking or pasteurization) but there is another reason you should avoid them.

I have noticed that more people are using raw egg whites as an alternative to protein powder in smoothies. If you choose to drink raw egg whites, it is safest to limit your consumption because raw egg whites contain a substance that binds with biotin preventing it from being absorbed and used by the body. Deficiency in biotin, also known as vitamin B-7, can cause thinning of the hair, skin rash, depression, tingling, and fatigue.