Eggs were once considered very nutritious and he althy. Then, because of cholesterol, they lost their good reputation. But studies show that a he althy person, if they like eggs, can eat them, but not at will. Find out what nutritional values and how many calories (kcal) eggs have.
See what you don't know about the egg! [TOWIDEO]
Whethereggis he althy can be discussed for a long time. In the 1970s, nutritionists declared war on them. It was about dietary cholesterol in the yolk. Scientists saw a link between the amount of eggs eaten and elevated blood cholesterol levels and, as a result, atherosclerosis.
Today's views have changed a bit. It turned out that the supply of saturated fatty acids to the body rather than cholesterol was more associated with atherosclerosis. But that doesn't mean we are allowed to eat eggs without restriction.
Egg - healing properties and vitamins
Eggs are primarily a source of wholesome protein, easily digestible by the body. It is a model protein, containing all amino acids, including essential ones, that the body cannot produce on its own, and in the right amounts. Therefore, in 1965, the World He alth Organization (WHO) recognized them as a model for measuring the proportion of amino acids in products.
An egg weighing 56 g provides as much as 7.03 g of protein. Paradoxically, the yolks contain more proteins than the whites of hen's eggs.
Eggs are also a rich source of vitamins A, E, D and K, as well as B vitamins and minerals: phosphorus, potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium.
The yolk contains beta-carotene and lutein, which protects the eyes from harmful UVA and UVB rays, prevents macular degeneration and improves vision.
Eggs have a favorable fat composition. For 5 g of fat in one egg (yolk) only 0.1 g are "bad" saturated fatty acids, but many unsaturated fatty acids essential for the body, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the body does not can synthesize.
Egg - calories. How many calories (kcal) does an egg have?
One egg (about 56 g) contains about 80 calories (60 kcal yolk, 20 kcal protein). People who are afraid of excess calories during the holiday season should not consume themwith mayonnaise, but replace it with plain yogurt or avocado paste .²
Eggs and blood cholesterol
It is widely believed that eating eggs increases cholesterol, which contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Yes, 100 g of egg contains 372 mg of cholesterol .¹ However, eggs contain a wide range of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and lecithin. They will have a positive effect on the level of good HDL and eliminate the bad influence of LDL .²
Eggs are a unique product in this aspect. Other sources of cholesterol in food, such as: livers, sausages, salami, yellow cheese, blue cheese, no longer carry all these beneficial ingredients. On the contrary - they are also a source of saturated fatty acids, from which our liver will produce this cholesterol .¹
Worth knowingEgg - nutritional value (in 100 g / one piece - 56 g)Energy value - 143/80 kcal Total protein - 12.56 / 7.03 g Fat - 9.51 / 5.33 g Carbohydrates - 0.72 g / 2.11 (including simple sugars 0.40) Fiber - 0 gVitaminsThiamine - 0.040 / 0.022 mg Riboflavin - 0.457 / 0.256 mg Niacin - 0.075 / 0.042 mg Vitamin B6 - 0.170 / 0.095 mg Vitamin B12 - 1, 1 µg Folic acid - 47/26 µg Vitamin A - 540/302 IU Vitamin E - 1.05 / 0.59 mg Vitamin D (D2 + D3) 2.0 / 1.1 µg Vitamin K - 0.3 / 0.2 µgMineralsCalcium - 56 / 31 mg Iron - 1.75 / 0.98 mg Magnesium - 12/7 mg Phosphorus - 198/111 mg Potassium - 138/77 mg Sodium - 142/80 mg Zinc - 1.29 / 0.72 mg
Fatty acids
saturated - 3.126 / 1.751 g monounsaturated - 3.658 / 2.048 g polyunsaturated -1.911 / 1.070 g trans fat - 0.038 / 0.021 g cholesterol - 327/208 mg
Data Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
Weekly egg limit for he althy and sick people
According to the World He alth Organization (WHO), you can eat up to 10 eggs a week without worrying about your he alth (including the egg contained in cakes, pasta, etc.) ³
Many people during the week often skip eating pure eggs, so a few extra eggs during the holidays will not hurt anyone.
Restrictions sometimes only apply to the yolk - it is not recommended in liver diseases, due to the fat it contains.
However, protein can be eaten without limits, as long as you do not exceed the daily norm of protein as a nutrient. This recommendation also applies to people who do not tolerate fat.
Eggs acidify the body, so it's best to combine them with alkaline vegetables, e.g. chives, tomatoes, lettuce.
Eggboiledsoftiseasier to digest thaneggboiledhard-boiled , steamed - than fried in fat. Protein is easier to digest than yolk - people on an easily digestible diet can eat it.
Eggs can cause allergies
Eggs are the most common food allergen after cow's milk, which can even cause anaphylactic shock, so they should not be fed to children before the age of 1 (this especially applies to children prone to allergies and genetically burdened with disease).
There is a belief that a hard-boiled egg is safe for allergy sufferers, because its proteins are denatured during long heat treatment.
It's a myth! The most allergenic proteins - ovalbumin and ovomucoid - do not change their structure. The yolk itself also contains allergenic proteins, but with a slightly different structure, so the risk of allergy is lower.
Country eggs, light, with omega-3
The taste and nutritional value of eggs largely depend on the diet of the hens. The most valued are farm eggs, obtained from hens that live in natural conditions and are fed with natural food.
They are tastiest in spring, when the hen eats young grass. Then they also have the most vitamins A and D - as evidenced by the intense color of the yolk. But the color of the yolk can also be a result of the feed. If a hen gets corn, it lays eggs with orange yolks and wheat lays with pale yellow ones.
You can buy light eggs with reduced amount of fat, enriched with vitamins, omega-3 acids and with two yolks. They are obtained by feeding the hens with non-fat feed, with the addition of vitamins or algae.
Eggs with two yolks are laid by young hens with an undeveloped endocrine system.
It is also worth paying attention to the markings on the eggshell, informing about the method of breeding hens:
- 0 - organic farming,
- 1 - outdoor free range farming,
- 2 - barn farming,
- 3 - cage farming.
Eggs not only chicken
- Quail eggs
They have a beige, dark spotted shell. They are richer than chicken in iron, copper, beta-carotene and B vitamins, and also more nutritious because they have more yolk than protein.
They contain less cholesterol and more polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are three times smaller than chicken, which is why they are cooked shorter: soft - 1 minute, hard - 3 minutes. You need 8-10 eggs per person for scrambled eggs.
Remember not to knock them directly onto the pan (only all of them in the bowl first), becausebefore the last one reaches it, the first one will burn. Hard-boiled quail eggs should be used in salads and snacks - they look impressive when cut in half. We sell fresh and pickled quail eggs.
- Duck and goose eggs
Larger than chicken, more distinct in taste, but difficult to digest. They have more yolk, fat and cholesterol. Better not to boil them soft and not fry scrambled eggs, because they are more often infected with salmonella than chicken. Currently, they are most often used for baking and thickening sauces. They can also be stuffed.
- Ostrich eggs
They have less cholesterol than chicken, and more polyunsaturated fatty acids than saturated ones. An ostrich egg is a dozen times larger than a chicken egg (it weighs about 1.5 kg), so to hard-boil it, you need to spend about 2.5 hours.
It can be made into a stuffed egg or scrambled eggs - enough for 8-10 people. The shell of an ostrich egg is very thick, 2-3 mm, so in order to make a hole in it (to prepare, for example, a super Easter egg), it is best to use… a drill. If you want to serve a stuffed egg, cut it lengthwise with a ball or a serrated knife.
Worth knowingThe he althiest eggs - from the green legged
Zielononóżki is an old Polish breed of chickens, once popular due to the ease of breeding. At the end of the 20th century, when hen farms appeared, green legged partridges were bred less and less for economic reasons.
They only bear 140-180 eggs a year, while leghorns only daily. In addition, the latter breed can be bred in cages, and the green legged must have an open-air run.
They are therefore only suitable for organic farming. Currently, the interest in eggs from those happy walkers in the yard is growing because they contain 30 percent. less cholesterol. That is why you can buy them not only at the market or on a farm, but also in some shops. Unfortunately, they are more expensive.
Eggs help with hangovers and strengthen bones
Eggs relieve hangover symptoms because they contain cysteine - an amino acid that speeds up metabolism and removes toxins.
Egg shells are a rich source of easily digestible calcium. Therefore, scalded and ground into a powder, they were used in the prevention of osteoporosis. To this day, some people still use this method of strengthening bones and teeth by adding 1 g of shredded shells to food daily.
Eggs and a slimming diet
Eggs are best eaten shortly boiled or fried - soft, fried, in the form of scrambled eggs (remember toprotein curdled). Eggs lose some of their vitamins and minerals during long heat treatment.
In addition, after 10 minutes of cooking, the nutritional value of protein is almost halved and it becomes difficult to digest. Therefore, hard-boiled eggs should be avoided in diseases of the digestive system. It's also better not to eat them in the evening if you want to avoid the feeling of a heavy stomach on your stomach.
The consumption of one egg satisfies approx. 25 percent. adult human protein needs.
Egg plays an important role in weight loss diets because it is high in nutrients and low in calories. One egg weighing about 50 g provides 72-75 kcal kcal ,and an egg weighing 56 g - about 80 kcal.
Protein alone has even fewer calories - 100 g is only about 20 kcal, which is as much as a slice of apple. At the same time, the egg is very filling. These properties of eggs are used by high-protein diets that eliminate carbohydrates and fats, such as Dukan and Copenhagen.
They are not recommended by nutritionists, because an excess of protein, even the standard protein found in an egg, worsens our well-being and can harm our he alth.
Lack of carbohydrates causes a drop in concentration, because they are the main source of energy for the brain, and the excess of protein, among others, puts a heavy burden on the kidneys, increases the risk of joint diseases and acidifies the body, which manifests itself in a feeling of fatigue, irritation, deterioration of the skin condition.
Besides, these diets exceed the weekly norm of egg consumption. However, in reasonable amounts, it is worth including eggs in your slimming diet due to the richness of nutrients.
You must do itThere is no kitchen without eggs
Eggs can be prepared in many ways: soft, hard, mollet, T-shirt. They are made into omelettes, cutlets and stuffing, e.g. for pancakes, baked with additives, stuffed, and added to spreads and salads. Egg yolks are an important ingredient in sauces (e.g. mayonnaise, Dutch), creams, cakes and desserts.
Protein gives cohesiveness to the minced meat and fish and loosens baked goods. The icing is twisted from egg whites and powdered sugar and wonderful meringues are baked.
- Poached eggs : stuck raw eggs on a plate so as not to damage the yolks. Then gently slide them into boiling water with vinegar (we give 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar for 1 liter of water) and cook for 3-5 minutes depending on whether the yolk is to be more or less curd. It is taken out with a slotted spoon. The drained egg can be served on toast, alone or in a sauce, browned or baked.
- Viennese-style eggs : the soft-boiled eggs are taken out of the shell, put into a warm glass,sprinkles with shavings of butter, s alt, pepper, possibly chives. In the past, Viennese eggs were served in a special dish. It consisted of a low glass in a hot water container and a saucer. Today they are served in an ordinary glass.
- Omelette:The classic (French) is made from melted eggs. Each portion (2-3 eggs) is fried in a separate pan. Add the toppings (e.g. peas, ham) after frying, and then fold them in half. Sponge-cake omelette (mushroom) is made of whipped proteins combined with yolks and flour.
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