Eggs are among the most cherished excellently nutritious foods around the world. An egg contains healthy unsaturated fats and about 6 grams of protein. Eggs are also a good source of zeaxanthin, lutein and choline. Lutein and zeaxanthin protect against loss of vision and choline have been associated with preserving memory. The major source of edible eggs in the world today are chickens. You will learn interesting egg facts here and why you should include egg in your diet often.
Here are very Important Egg facts you must know:
Eggs are Indisputably Nutritious!
The following are the nutritional/Health benefits of eggs:
- Eggs contain high levels of omega-3 fats (healthy fats) which help you feel full and satisfied and does not raise the risk of heart disease.
- Eggs contain the highest quality of proteins than any other food source. It is a source of complete protein (all essential amino acids) ideal for both children and adults are contained in it.
- Eggs contain antioxidants (Lutein and Zeaxanthin) that protect your eyes against age-related blindness, help decrease the effects of ageing and fights cancer.
- Eggs contain 11 different vitamins and minerals which it provides at significant amounts of the Daily Value, including retinol (vitamin A), riboflavin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B12, choline and phosphorus.
- The egg white consists primarily of water (87%) and protein (13%) and contains no cholesterol and very little fat if any, while the yolk contains fats, proteins and some other nutrients.
- Having egg as breakfast helps to shed body weight. In one study of 30 overweight women, eating eggs instead of bagels for breakfast increased feelings of fullness and made them automatically eat fewer calories for the next 36 hours.
- It is suggested that eating eggs may help treat acne, as they lower the glycaemic load of the diet.
- Eggs Are a Great Cure for Hangovers.
Interesting Eggs Facts
- The colour of an eggshell is determined by the breed of the chicken that laid it. Hens with red feathers produce brown eggs and hens with white feathers produce white eggs.
- The surface of each eggshell can contain as many as 17,000 tiny pores.
- Chickens are not the only birds that produce edible eggs; turkeys, peacocks, quails, ducks, ostriches, geese, guinea fowls, etc, also lay eggs.
- The colour of the yolk of an egg is determined by the diet of the hen and has nothing to do with the quality or nutritional value of the egg.
- The blood spot occasionally observed in an egg comes from the rupture of small blood vessels in the egg yolk. It does not indicate that the egg is unsafe to consume.
- The average hen lays 250 to 270 eggs a year.
- Eggs are kept at their freshest when stored in their cartons, in the fridge.
- To test the age of an egg, soak in a bowl of water. A very old egg will actually float in the water and should not be eaten.
Eggs can be Prepared in Variety of Delicious ways
Eggs contain multiple proteins which gel at different temperatures within the yolk and the white, and the temperature determines the gelling time. Here are some of the most common variety of ways to cook eggs:
Boiled Eggs (hard or soft)
Note: If a boiled egg is overcooked, a greenish/grayish ring sometimes appears around egg yolk due to the iron and sulfur compounds in the egg, and overcooking harms the quality of the protein, but chilling the egg for a few minutes in cold water until it is completely cooled may prevent the greenish ring from forming on the surface of the yolk.
Scrambled Eggs
Fried Eggs
Egg Omelette
Pickled Eggs
Egg Sandwich
Historical Egg Facts
- Over Forty percent of the world’s eggs are consumed in China, producing about 390 billion eggs each year,
- Some eggshells have ultraviolet colours that are not visible to human eyes but are likely seen by birds.
- Human beings now produce fake eggs using some chemical substances. This is prevalent in China where an individual can make about 1500 fake eggs every day.
- In ancient Rome, eggs were preserved using a number of methods, and meals often started with an egg course. The Romans crushed the shells in their plates to prevent evil spirits from hiding there.
- In the Middle Ages, eggs were forbidden during Lent because of their richness.
- In 1911, the egg carton was invented by Joseph Coyle in Smithers, British Columbia, to solve a dispute about broken eggs between a farmer in Bulkley Valley and the owner of the Aldermere Hotel.
- Every part of an egg is edible: Ground egg shells are sometimes used as a food additive to deliver calcium, although the eggshell is usually discarded.
- The Araucana Chicken is also known as the Easter Egg Chicken because it produces brown, pink, green and naturally blue eggs.
- Harriet the hen laid the world’s largest egg in 2010, measuring a hefty 9.1 inches in diameter.