Keto Means
Photo by Anna Shvets Pexels Logo Photo: Anna Shvets

What are the cons of eating egg white?

By opting for whites over whole eggs, you're missing out on 270 international units of vitamin A -- 12 percent of the recommended daily intake for women or 9 percent for men, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Egg whites also lack the vitamin B-12 found in whole eggs.

Are carrots OK on keto?
Are carrots OK on keto?

Carrots are too starchy for keto, while cauliflower is more acceptable because of its low net carb count. If you're thinking about embarking on a...

Read More »
Is yogurt a high fiber food?
Is yogurt a high fiber food?

Yogurt is a nutritious way to boost your intake of protein and calcium, but it isn't usually a good source of fiber. Certain brands of yogurt have...

Read More »

If you’ve avoided whole eggs due to their cholesterol content and turned to egg whites as a healthier alternative, think again. In most cases, consuming cholesterol has little effect on blood cholesterol levels, explains the Harvard School of Public Health. Egg whites do offer some nutritional advantages -- they’re low-cal, at only 17 calories per egg white, and provide a source of protein -- but you miss out on the vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients found within the egg yolk.

Fewer Vitamins

Egg whites fail to provide a significant source of any essential vitamins, offering just minute amounts of B-complex vitamins. By opting for whites over whole eggs, you’re missing out on 270 international units of vitamin A -- 12 percent of the recommended daily intake for women or 9 percent for men, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Egg whites also lack the vitamin B-12 found in whole eggs. Getting enough vitamin A in your diet boosts your immunity and supports tissue growth, while B-12 keeps your nerves and red blood cells healthy and functional.

Fewer Minerals

Egg whites also provide less of essential minerals. An egg white offers just 0.03 milligrams of iron, less than 1 percent of your daily recommended intake. Whole eggs, in contrast, provide you with 0.9 milligrams of iron -- 11 percent of the daily recommended intake for men or 5 percent for women, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. This iron helps your body produce energy for your cells and aids in oxygen transport. Egg whites also offer one-third the selenium found in whole eggs -- 5.5 milligrams, compared to 15.4 milligrams. Whole eggs go much farther in helping you reach your daily recommended intake of selenium -- 55 milligrams daily, according to the Linus Pauling Institute -- that your body needs for thyroid hormone production and muscle metabolism.

Less Choline

Don’t count on egg whites as a source of choline, an essential nutrient. You need choline for healthy cell membranes, proper cell communication and fat metabolism. Choline also helps you make acetylcholine, a chemical your nerves use for cognitive function and to control muscle function. Whole eggs provide ample amounts of protein, with each large egg providing 35 percent of the daily choline requirements for women or 27 percent for men. An egg white contains just 2.7 milligrams of choline -- less than one percent of the recommended daily intake.

Considerations and Cooking Tips

Is maple syrup allowed on keto?
Is maple syrup allowed on keto?

Is maple syrup keto? Traditional maple syrup is NOT keto friendly. It's predominantly sugar and per tablespoon, contains as many carbs as you'd be...

Read More »
Does lemon water flush out sugar?
Does lemon water flush out sugar?

Lemon water may not directly impact your blood sugar levels and cause it to come down, but it can surely help prevent untimely spikes. The easy to...

Read More »

What autophagy feels like?

So most benefits cannot clearly be attributed to autophagy but go back to a combination of factors, such as ketosis and weight loss. In general, autophagy shows its benefits over time. You won't feel any different while your cells are undergoing autophagy. However, autophagy can have amazing long-term effects.

Most people who are into intermittent fasting have heard of autophagy and its health benefits. In fact, many people with health issues start with intermittent fasting because they want to improve their health with the help of autophagy. Autophagy seems to increase with fasting length, but it’s hard to say when autophagy starts. It varies for each individual and depends on many factors such as age, fitness, underlying health conditions, and lifestyle. However, research suggests that 18 hours of fasting can profoundly stimulate this vital process in some people (1).

Because the exact timing of autophagy is uncertain, many people are looking for the signs of autophagy. So how do you know if this process has started already?

What is autophagy?

Autophagy is a greek term meaning self-eating. While this doesn’t sound healthy but rather counter-productive, it is an essential mechanism that is vital for our health. Autophagy is a recycling mechanism that is stimulated by fasting. When no fresh nutrients are coming in, cells have to recycle old molecules. When you eat regularly with only small breaks in between, autophagy runs at low levels (2). You can compare autophagy to spring cleaning–it allows cells the opportunity to get rid of old molecules that are not needed anymore and that are in the way. However, as long as fresh molecules are continually coming in, the cell sees no need to recycle old ones. For this reason, the absence of nutrients, or fasting, is the most powerful autophagy inducer. You can learn more about this in our article about fasting and autophagy.

Are tomatoes inflammatory or anti-inflammatory?
Are tomatoes inflammatory or anti-inflammatory?

Tomatoes are high in vitamin C, potassium, and lycopene, an antioxidant with impressive anti-inflammatory properties ( 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 ).

Read More »
Does cottage cheese burn fat while you sleep?
Does cottage cheese burn fat while you sleep?

According to a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, consuming cottage cheese before going to sleep can help you lose weight....

Read More »
Why is my stomach getting flatter but not losing weight?
Why is my stomach getting flatter but not losing weight?

It's possible to gain muscle and reduce body fat without actually seeing a change in your weight. This happens when you lose body fat while gaining...

Read More »
What fruit is best for diabetics?
What fruit is best for diabetics?

The Best Fruits for People With Diabetes berries — Both citrus and berries are recommended as superfoods by the American Diabetes Association....

Read More »