An egg white weighs about 33 g. That is the answer: a large egg white weighs about 33 grams, which is two thirds of a large egg, and it is almost entirely water and protein, with no fat and almost no calories. If a recipe calls for 3 egg whites, that is about 99 grams. If it calls for 100 grams of white, that is 3 whites. This page gives you the table, the meringue examples, and the reason whites are weighed separately — because a meringue is sensitive to the ratio of white to sugar, and counting eggs is not precise enough.
The conversion table
| Egg whites | Weight | Volume | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium white | 30 g | 2 tbsp | 0.12 cup |
| 1 large white | 33 g | 2 tbsp | 0.14 cup |
| 1 extra-large white | 37 g | 2 1/2 tbsp | 0.15 cup |
| 1 jumbo white | 41 g | 3 tbsp | 0.17 cup |
| 2 large whites | 66 g | 1/4 cup | 0.27 cup |
| 3 large whites | 99 g | 6 tbsp | 0.41 cup |
| 4 large whites | 132 g | 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp | 0.54 cup |
| 5 large whites | 165 g | 2/3 cup | 0.68 cup |
| 6 large whites | 198 g | 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp | 0.82 cup |
| 8 large whites | 264 g | 1 cup + 1 tbsp | 1.09 cups |
The weight figures are approximate, because eggs vary in size. A large egg white is about 33 grams, and a cup of egg whites weighs about 243 grams.
Worked example 1: a meringue that needs 100 grams of white
A meringue recipe calls for 100 grams of egg white and 200 grams of sugar, which is the classic 1-to-2 ratio by weight. One hundred grams divided by 33 is 3.03, so separate 3 large eggs. If the scale reads 99 grams, that is close enough — a gram will not change the meringue. If you only have medium eggs, whose whites weigh 30 grams each, you will need 3 1/3 whites, which is an awkward number, so separate 4 whites and pour off a little. The weight is the figure that matters, because the sugar is weighed too, and the ratio of white to sugar is what makes the meringue work.
Worked example 2: an angel food cake that needs 200 grams
An angel food cake recipe calls for 200 grams of egg white, and you are separating eggs into a bowl on a scale. Separate 6 large eggs, and the scale should read about 198 grams. If it reads 190 grams, separate another egg and pour in half the white; if it reads 210 grams, pour a little out. The cake will rise properly only if the white is right, because the white is what gives the cake its structure, and a 10 percent error in white will make the cake either dense or fragile. Weighing the whites is the only way to be sure, and it is the reason professional kitchens weigh everything.
Worked example 3: a recipe that calls for whites by count, scaled up
A recipe calls for 3 egg whites, and you are tripling it for a party. Three whites is about 99 grams, so a tripled recipe needs 9 whites, which is about 297 grams. If you are scaling by weight, 297 grams is the figure to use, and it is more precise than counting eggs, because 9 large whites might weigh 280 grams or 315 grams, and that 35-gram difference can change a meringue. For a home recipe, counting is fine, but for a large batch, weigh them, and adjust by adding or pouring off a little white until the scale reads the right number.
Method and source
A large egg white is defined by weight: a large egg weighs about 50 grams without the shell, of which 33 grams is white and 17 grams is yolk. The figures come from the USDA, which grades eggs by weight: a medium egg white is about 30 grams, a large white is about 33 grams, an extra-large white is about 37 grams, and a jumbo white is about 41 grams. The white is about 90 percent water and 10 percent protein, with no fat, which is why it whips into a foam and why it is the part of the egg that gives structure to a meringue, a soufflé, and an angel food cake. That is why the answer is "about 33 grams": it is an average, and individual whites vary by a few grams in either direction.
Practical guidance
Separate eggs when they are cold, because the yolk is firmer and less likely to break, and let the whites come to room temperature before you beat them, because warm whites whip to a greater volume. Use a clean, dry bowl with no trace of fat, because even a drop of yolk or oil will prevent the whites from whipping. Crack each egg into a small bowl before adding the white to the main bowl, so that a broken yolk does not ruin the whole batch. And when a recipe is precise — a meringue, an angel food cake, a soufflé — weigh the whites, because 33 grams is an average, and your eggs may be heavier or lighter.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is an egg white?
An egg white weighs about 33 g for a large egg. A medium white weighs about 30 g, an extra-large white weighs about 37 g, and a jumbo white weighs about 41 g. The exact weight varies, so treat 33 g as an average.
How many egg whites are in 100 grams?
There are 3 egg whites in 100 grams. One hundred grams divided by 33 is 3.03, so if a recipe calls for 100 grams of white, separate 3 large eggs.
How many cups is 100 grams of egg white?
One hundred grams of egg white is about 0.41 cups, or just over 1/3 cup. A cup of whites weighs 243 grams, so 100 divided by 243 is 0.41.
Does an egg white have fat?
No. An egg white is almost entirely water and protein, with no fat and almost no calories. The fat in an egg is all in the yolk, which is why a white-only recipe is lower in fat and why whites whip into a foam while yolks do not.
How many calories are in an egg white?
A large egg white has about 17 calories, almost all of them from protein. A whole large egg has about 72 calories, so the yolk contributes most of the calories as well as all of the fat.
Can I use egg whites from a carton?
Yes. A carton of egg whites is pasteurised, and it whips almost as well as fresh whites, though it may take a little longer to reach stiff peaks. Check the label for the weight: 100 grams of carton whites is about 3 fresh whites, and a 500-gram carton is about 2 cups.
Egg whites vary more than most people expect. A medium egg white weighs about 30 grams, a large about 33, and a jumbo closer to 38. Recipes that count whites rather than weighing them assume large eggs, so if you buy a different size, weigh the whites for baking — a meringue made with small whites can collapse because there simply is not enough protein to hold the foam.