What are egg whites?

Egg whites are the clear, runny part of an egg that’s inside the shell with the yolk.

Imagine you have a tiny container, like a little cup, and it's filled with something light and bubbly. That’s kind of what egg whites are like when they’re raw. If you shake them up or beat them, they turn into something fluffy, almost like clouds in the sky. That’s how we make meringues or soft cookies.

Egg whites are mostly water and protein, which are like tiny strings that stretch and twist when you mix them. When you cook them, those strings hold on tight and make the white part firm, just like how a spaghetti noodle gets stiff in hot water.

If you’ve ever seen an egg being cracked open, you might have noticed that the yolk is yellow and round, while the whites are clear and spread out. The whites act like a blank canvas for whatever you’re making, pancakes, soufflés, or even fluffy omelets!