I'm a vegetarian and i'm trying to lose weight and consume more protein. are there benefits to eating a whole egg as compared to an egg white?

Egg yolks: The yolk of an egg contains about 150 mgs of cholesterol so that people on a low cholesterol diet are usually restricted to a few whole eggs a week. Have your blood lipids checked before eating a lot of whole eggs weekly.

Essential fatty acid: I assume you are an ovovegetarian from the nature of your question (strict vegetarians do not eat eggs). Whole egg is the egg white (protein) w/ the yolk, which is mostly cholesterol & fat. The benefits of the yolk are debated by nutritionists. Some believe it has essential (omega-3) fatty acids (EFA), vitamins A,D,&E, & short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) for digestion. Fish is also a good EFA source

Protein and egg: Egg yolk is an excellent food. It has saturated fats and cholesterol, though. One yolk per day is safe and good. You may eat up to 8-10 egg whites per day - these are healthy. Egg white is superior to all. Quinoa is excellent. Beans and lentils are excellent. Milk protein is excellent. Whole grains are good but not sufficient. Nuts are excellent. Yogurt is excellent if allowed.