Protein in Egg Whites

Egg whites (albumen) are the clear liquid portion of a chicken egg — nearly fat-free and cholesterol-free. In a typical large whole egg, roughly 60% of the total protein is in the white (about 3.6g of ~6.3g), though the yolk actually lists more protein per 100g in USDA data. USDA Egg, white, raw, fresh (FDC #172183) lists 10.9g protein, 52 kcal, 0.17g fat, and 0.73g carbs per 100g ^[1].

Unlike meat pages built around oz portions and trim states, egg whites are usually logged by count (1–6 whites), cups, or tablespoons in recipes and breakfast bowls. This page centers on those measurement patterns.

Whole eggs, yolks, carton products, and dried powder are separate food states — use the state selector and linked [Egg Whites Nutrition Calculator](/tools/egg-whites-nutrition-calculator/) for complete macro and micronutrient detail.

Using USDA household measures on FDC #172183: 1 large egg white (33g) provides about 3.6g protein, 17 kcal, 0.1g fat, and 0.2g carbs ^[1].

Egg size changes the answer. A jumbo white weighs more than a small white — the table in [Does Egg Size Change Egg White Protein?](#section-egg-size) shows estimated weights and protein by size.

Do not treat "one egg white" as identical across every egg in the carton unless you know the size grade. When precision matters, weigh in grams or count using the size reference that matches your eggs.

At 2 large egg whites (66g total, 33g each USDA reference): about 7.2g protein, 34 kcal, 0.1g fat, and 0.5g carbs — calculated from FDC #172183 per-100g values.

Two whites is a common omelet or scramble base when yolks are removed. If your eggs are medium or extra-large, adjust using the egg-size table or weigh the separated whites.

At 3 large egg whites (99g): about 10.8g protein, 51 kcal, 0.2g fat, and 0.7g carbs at raw fresh values ^[1].

Three whites deliver protein similar to a single small chicken portion but with far fewer calories and essentially no fat — useful context when comparing foods, not a recommendation to eat a specific quantity.

At 4 large egg whites (132g): about 14.4g protein, 69 kcal, 0.2g fat, and 1.0g carbs.

Four whites appear frequently in high-volume egg-white breakfasts and meal-prep containers. Weigh your batch if egg sizes vary within the carton.

At 5 large egg whites (165g): about 18.0g protein, 86 kcal, 0.3g fat, and 1.2g carbs at FDC #172183 values.

Five whites cross the threshold many trackers associate with a moderate protein snack — verify with your scale if you need exact grams.

At 6 large egg whites (198g): about 21.6g protein, 103 kcal, 0.3g fat, and 1.4g carbs — a common bulk breakfast portion for egg-white-only meals.

Six whites remain very low in calories (~103 kcal) at this reference — the protein-to-calorie ratio is high, but absolute protein (~22g) is modest compared to a 4 oz chicken breast (~35g).

USDA documents 1 cup raw egg white = 243g on FDC #172183 household measures ^[1]. Plain cooked egg white uses a different cup weight in USDA data (1 cup cooked ≈ 135g, FDC #2707170) because moisture is lost — do not use raw cup conversions for cooked portions.

For raw liquid white, 1 tbsp is derived as 243g ÷ 16 ≈ 15.2g — a standard kitchen conversion, not a separate USDA tablespoon record.

Volume-to-weight examples at raw values: 1 tbsp (~15.2g) ≈ 1.7g protein; 1/2 cup (~122g) ≈ 13.3g protein; 1 cup (243g) ≈ 26.5g protein and 126 kcal.

Cup measures apply to liquid raw egg white — beaten foam, cooked solids, or carton products may not fill a measuring cup the same way. Weigh when accuracy matters.

Based on USDA 1 cup = 243g raw fresh egg white (FDC #172183 household measure): about 26.5g protein, 126 kcal, 0.4g fat, and 1.8g carbs ^[1].

This reference is raw liquid egg white — not cooked scrambled mass, whipped meringue volume, or a branded carton serving defined differently on a label.

Recipe cards that say "1 cup egg whites" without weight assume this liquid raw reference unless your product label specifies otherwise.

At ~15.2g per tbsp (243g cup ÷ 16): about 1.7g protein and 8 kcal using FDC #172183 raw values ^[1].

Tablespoon measures help when logging small recipe amounts — meringues, glazes, and binding in baking. A heaping tbsp may weigh 16–17g, adding roughly 0.1–0.2g more protein.

For precision, weigh egg whites on a kitchen scale instead of relying on spoon fill level.

At FDC #172183 raw values: 10.9g protein per 100g, ~3.1g protein per 1 oz (28.35g), and ~21g protein per 100 kcal (10.9 ÷ 52 × 100).

Egg whites deliver most of their calories from protein — fat and carbs contribute very little at this reference. That makes them protein-dense per calorie, even though a single white only provides ~3.6g absolute protein.

This is descriptive nutrient math — not a claim that egg whites outperform every other food for every goal.

Cooking removes water but does not create protein. USDA Egg, white, cooked, no added fat (FDC #2707170) lists 10.7g protein and 52 kcal per 100g vs 10.9g and 52 kcal raw ^[1][2]. One cooked large white (33g) provides about 3.5g protein (vs 3.6g raw) at this reference.

Plain cooked whites may show higher sodium (281mg vs 166mg) and carbs (2.35g vs 0.73g) per 100g in USDA records — analytical and moisture differences, not added ingredients. Cooked cup weight (≈135g) differs from raw cup (243g) — use gram weights or the correct state reference.

See the raw-vs-cooked comparison table below. For scrambled whites with butter or oil, those fats are separate from plain white references.

Match the scale reading to the database state. Weigh separated whites before cooking and log the raw fresh reference; weigh plain cooked whites after cooking (no added fat) and log cooked, no added fat.

Mixing cooked weight with raw per-100g protein (or the reverse) skews protein estimates because moisture loss concentrates nutrients per gram when cooked.

Hard-boiled whole eggs are not the same as white-only portions — peel and weigh the white separately, or use white-only references.

Yes — larger eggs contain more white by weight, so one white from a jumbo egg provides more protein than one white from a small egg.

USDA documents 1 large egg white = 33g on FDC #172183 ^[1]. Other sizes on this page use proportional estimates from USDA whole-egg size weights (38/44/50/56/63g) scaled to the 33g large-white anchor — see comparison table.

When logging "3 egg whites" without weighing, specify size (e.g. large) or accept ±15–20% variance across mixed cartons.

Carton liquid egg whites (pasteurized, often 100% egg whites) are designed for convenience — pourable, longer shelf life, and sometimes pre-measured by the manufacturer.

Generic USDA fresh separated raw white (FDC #172183) is the calculator default. Branded carton products may match closely but can differ in sodium, additives, or serving size definitions — use your package Nutrition Facts when available.

This page does not merge all carton brands into one macro profile. Compare your label's per 3 tbsp (≈46g) or 1/3 cup serving to our gram-based calculator.

Fresh separated whites from shell eggs and carton liquid whites are both primarily albumen — but processing, pasteurization, and optional ingredients can shift sodium and minor nutrients on labels.

Fresh whites are typically logged by count or weight after cracking; carton products often define servings as volume (cup/tbsp) on the label. Convert label servings to grams when cross-checking this page.

When a carton label lists protein per 46g (3 tbsp) or similar, enter that gram weight in the calculator rather than assuming identical density to every fresh egg.

USDA Egg, white, dried (FDC #172204) is a dehydrated concentrate: 81.1g protein and 382 kcal per 100g with 1280mg sodium ^[3]. It is not comparable gram-for-gram with fresh liquid whites.

One tbsp of fresh liquid white (~15g) and one tbsp of dry powder are different products — follow package reconstitution ratios or weigh dry powder directly.

Use the [Egg Whites Nutrition Calculator](/tools/egg-whites-nutrition-calculator/) dried variant only when logging dehydrated egg white products — never substitute dried data for fresh cup weights.

Per 100g raw: egg whites list 10.9g protein and 52 kcal; whole eggs list 12.6g protein and 143 kcal with 9.5g fat (FDC #172183 vs whole-raw in egg tool) ^[1][4].

Per single large serving: 1 white (33g) ≈ 3.6g protein vs 1 whole large egg (50g) ≈ 6.3g protein and 4.8g fat. Removing the yolk drops most fat and cholesterol but also removes vitamin D, choline, and most fat-soluble vitamins from the whole egg.

Whites and whole eggs serve different logging contexts — compare using the same reference amount (100g or per-piece with size noted). See the [Egg Nutrition Calculator](/tools/egg-nutrition-calculator/) for whole-egg preparations.

Per 100g raw: whites provide 10.9g protein with 0.17g fat; yolks provide 15.9g protein with 26.5g fat and 1085mg cholesterol (FDC #172183 vs egg-yolk-raw) ^[1][4].

Yolks contain more protein per 100g but also six times the calories — whites win on protein per calorie (~21g vs ~5g per 100 kcal). Yolks carry most micronutrients: choline, vitamin D, B12, and selenium in higher amounts.

This is a nutrient profile comparison — not a judgment about which component to eat. Many meals combine both.

Per 100g cooked skinless chicken breast lists 31.0g protein and 165 kcal (FDC #171534) vs 10.9g protein and 52 kcal for raw egg white ^[1][5].

Per calorie, egg whites are competitive (~21g protein per 100 kcal vs ~19g for roasted breast). Per typical portion, breast delivers far more absolute protein — 4 oz cooked breast (~113g) ≈ 35g protein vs 6 large whites (198g) ≈ 21.6g protein.

Compare cooked to cooked or raw to raw — never log cooked breast weight against raw egg white macros.

At FDC #172183 raw values per 100g: 52 kcal · 10.9g protein · 0.17g fat · 0.73g carbs. Per 1 large white (33g): 17 kcal · 3.6g P · 0.1g F · 0.2g C.

Per 1 cup (243g): 126 kcal · 26.5g P · 0.4g F · 1.8g C — useful for recipe scaling.

Sodium (166mg/100g raw) is the main mineral to notice at larger volumes — 1 cup provides ~403mg sodium before any added salt in cooking.

1. Using whole-egg nutrition for egg whites — whole large egg ≠ white only.

2. Using yolk nutrition for whites — yolks are far higher in fat and calories.

3. Confusing raw and cooked references — match state to scale reading.

4. Treating all carton products as identical to fresh USDA white — check labels.

5. Ignoring egg size when counting whites without weighing.

6. Mixing dried egg white data with fresh liquid weights — separate food states.

7. Forgetting added ingredients in scrambled whites (butter, oil, cheese).

8. Using volume conversions without checking the reference — cup = 243g liquid raw here.

9. Assuming one cup always weighs the same across beaten, cooked, or foam stages.

Use gram weights from this calculator for omelets, scrambled whites, pancakes, baking, protein shakes, and meringues — enter the total raw white grams your recipe uses.

When a recipe lists "4 egg whites," convert using 4 × 33g = 132g for large USDA reference unless you weighed otherwise.

This page supports nutrition calculation, not recipe development — combine with other ingredient tools for complete meal macros.

Butter, cooking oil, milk, cheese, vegetables, and sauces add calories, fat, carbs, and sodium beyond plain egg white references.

Plain boiled or poached whites with no added fat align with the cooked, no added fat USDA reference. Anything sautéed in oil or finished with cheese should include separate ingredient entries.

The [Egg Whites Nutrition Calculator](/tools/egg-whites-nutrition-calculator/) includes optional preparation add-ons for common cases.

Per 100g raw fresh egg white (FDC #172183) ^[1]: 52 kcal · 10.9g protein · 0.17g fat · 0.73g carbs · 166mg sodium · 163mg potassium · 15mg phosphorus · 20μg selenium · 0.44mg riboflavin · 7mg calcium · 11mg magnesium.

Egg whites provide no vitamin D, vitamin A, or dietary cholesterol at this reference. Riboflavin (B2) and selenium are the standout micronutrients relative to the low calorie load.

Use the calculator's complete nutrition profile toggle for the full micronutrient panel on your selected portion size.