Eggs are a miracle of life, and one of the most diverse and useful foods on the planet, as a food full of nutrients, which forms a mainstay in all human meals.
And eggs are the most common source of protein in a country like America, where Americans eat about 290 eggs a year, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Perhaps this explains the unprecedented increase in demand for eggs, until it rose by 100% in Manchester, northern England, in the first week of closure due to the outbreak of the Corona pandemic, due to people spending most of their time at home, and consuming more of it in cooking and baking.
Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse
Eggs come after breast milk in terms of its benefits for human nutrition, because it contains a mixture of amino acids that the body needs to build tissues, and its nutritional strength lies in:
Vitamins and minerals, eggs are one of the few food sources rich in vitamin "D" (D), which is important for the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, and vitamin "A" (A), which are beneficial for eye health, skin and cell growth.
And vitamin B6 (B6) and B12 (B12), which the body needs to convert food into energy, and vitamin B2 (B2), zinc and iron, which are good sources for promoting correct vision, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
An antioxidant, eggs are rich in selenium, an antioxidant important for thyroid function, immune system and mental health.
It is also rich in choline (147 milligrams in every large egg weighing 50 grams), an essential nutrient for fat and cholesterol transportation and energy metabolism.
It produces the chemical acetylcholine in the brain, which protects against age-related memory loss.
Protein, eggs are a good source of high-quality complete protein (6 grams per large egg), which helps lower blood pressure, improve bone health and increase muscle mass.
Yolks and eggs contain the same amount of protein (3 grams each), so white has no advantage over yolks, but the main difference between them lies in the calories.
While the yolk contains 3 grams of protein compared to 60 calories (out of 78 calories a large egg contains), whites provide 3 grams of protein, compared to only 18 calories.
So, leaving the egg yolk provides only an equal amount of protein for fewer calories, but due to the high levels of beneficial micronutrients in the egg yolk, it is recommended that you eat it as well.
Healthy fats, as there are 5 grams of fat in every large egg, of which about 1.6 grams are saturated fats, and the rest are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are classified as "good" fats useful in lowering the level of harmful cholesterol and promoting heart health.
Most of the fats are concentrated in the egg yolk, as it provides about 55 calories from complex fats and proteins, and there are almost no fats in egg whites, but white is a good source of leucine, an amino acid that may aid in weight loss.
Dietary cholesterol, surprisingly, eating eggs may help lower blood cholesterol. Research has shown that eggs do not increase the chances of developing heart disease.
Eggs are rich in dietary cholesterol (186 milligrams in a large egg), and a study has shown that eating foods high in dietary cholesterol does not significantly affect the risk of heart disease, rather it turns out that men who ate more eggs were more active. Physically, you are less likely to smoke and have diabetes.
Important information about eggs
There is no difference in the nutritional value between brown and white eggs, the color of the shell depends on the strain of the hen you laid, and the type of food you eat.
There are types of eggs with different nutritional characteristics. A duck egg has 105 calories, 7.2 grams of protein, 7.8 grams of fat, 119 milligrams of choline, 499 milligrams of cholesterol.
It is the same composition as a goose egg, but the protein has 7.8 grams, fat 7.5 grams, and cholesterol 481 mg.
A quail egg has 79 calories, 6.5 grams protein, 5.5 grams fat, 132 milligrams of choline and 422 milligrams cholesterol.
Some eggs come from chickens that were fed with flax seeds to raise the level of healthy "omega-3 fats" in it, to give more nutritional value, and it is available in some stores under the name "omega-3 eggs".
Chickens that are fed natural foods will produce eggs that contain more omega-3 fats, and are called “pasture eggs”.
Eggs can be refrigerated at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (about 15 degrees Celsius) or cooler, for about 3 weeks from the date of purchase.
After boiling, it is kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Eggs can be frozen for up to a year, if the shell is removed and packed in airtight containers.
Because raw eggs can carry disease-causing bacteria, they must be refrigerated and cooked well, until the white is completely cooked and the yolk begins to thicken.
Egg allergy is one of the most common types of allergies, especially in children, and symptoms may include a slight rash or stomach pain.
There is no specific number of eggs a person can eat, so as long as they do not have health problems of concern, they can eat them in moderate quantities.
Besides that eggs are a suitable food for vegetarians, they are also useful for cosmetic purposes.
Its peel is also used as a fertilizer and for lawn pest control.