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When choosing eggs, it is important to take into account their origin, verify their shelf life, and after bringing them home, wash and produce them in accordance with hygiene standards, do not boil or fry them.
The health benefits of eggs are undeniable.
An egg, depending on its size, contains approximately 7 grams of protein. Rimi Healthy Nutrition Consultant Doctor Nutritionist dr. Edita Gavelienė emphasizes that eggs are an extremely valuable product in terms of nutritional value, which simply needs to be included in the daily diet.
“Eggs are a food of animal origin with important nutritional benefits. They are valued for their high biological value as a protein rich in all essential amino acids. Eggs contain all the minerals and trace elements that humans need: iron, magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, calcium, potassium, phosphorus.
Eggs are also rich in fat and water soluble vitamins: vitamin A, which is important for vision, vitamin D for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and vitamin B for all groups, for example, vitamin B4, also known as choline. This substance is necessary for the development of the brain, the maintenance of the nervous system and the transmission of nerve impulses.
Vitamin B4 is especially necessary for women during pregnancy, so it is important that this product is included in the diet ”, says the dietician.
According to E. Gavelienė, eggs also contain these nutrients, which are generally only found in foods of plant or marine origin: “Eggs can contain carotenoids: lutein and zeaxanthin. These are antioxidants that are mainly found in plant-based foods and are necessary to prevent the development of cataracts.
Eggs are also rich in other nutrients necessary for the human body to function, such as Omega-3 fatty acids. There are about 70 milligrams of them in an egg. Considering that a person needs about 1 gram of these fatty acids a day, eggs are a great source of this substance. “
The diet must be varied
An egg is generally made up of protein and yolk, and in terms of the nutritional value of eggs, it is not only a food with all the substances necessary for the human body, but also a relatively low-calorie food. “An egg, depending on its size, contains about 60 kilocalories. That is very little. Even more so when those calories come together with the necessary nutrients ”, says E. Gavelienė.
Although eggs also contain cholesterol, according to the dietitian, this is not to be feared. “An egg, depending on its size, contains around 200 milligrams of cholesterol. Cholesterol is a part of fat that is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases, when these substances are found in excess in the human body.
It is argued that people with a predisposition to cardiovascular disease and those with impaired lipid metabolism should consume foods that are moderately high in cholesterol.
These people should not get more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day with food, but people who complain of these health problems should not exclude eggs from their diet, as consuming them in moderation will not exceed the recommended daily amount of cholesterol ”Explains E. Gavelienė.
According to the expert, eggs should be strictly avoided unless you are allergic to them, and the number of eggs that can be eaten per day is measured by the amount of protein consumed.
“The individual needs of each person are different, but it is important that the amount of eggs consumed is not excessive. It is normal to eat one egg a day in an adult’s diet.
However, it must be taken into account that the diet must be varied, and only when we eat a variety of foods and other proteins that the body needs, both meat and fish or dairy, will this diet be the healthiest ”. says the dietitian.
The healthiest way to prepare eggs.
Although eggs are a healthy and nutritious product that is recommended to be consumed almost daily, it is worth doing not only in moderation, but also with a focus on proper egg preparation. Nutritionist E. Gavelienė says it is best to use raw, uncooked eggs. Also, eating raw eggs is not recommended due to their more difficult digestion and higher risk of salmonellosis.
“The most favorable preparation method is one that does not require too much interference from the digestive system in the digestion of the egg. Egg yolk favors the excretion of bile, so when we eat an egg, depending on how it was prepared, more or less bile is excreted into the digestive tract.
Hard-boiled or fried eggs can be longer and difficult to digest. In addition, boiling or frying an egg reduces the amount of useful nutrients and vitamins, so the best way to prepare eggs is semi-hard eggs, prepared for about 5-7 minutes.
I also wouldn’t recommend eating raw whole eggs. I couldn’t pinpoint a health condition that would improve by consuming raw eggs. For a healthy person who wants to diversify their meals, this can be done, but the risk of contracting salmonellosis always remains. By the way, raw eggs are more difficult to digest, because after heat treatment, the proteins break down ”, adds nutritionist E. Gavelienė.
However, the specialist says that shelf life and freshness are more important than whether the eggs are cooked or fried – their shelf life. Cooked eggs should be eaten within three days.
It is also necessary to check the eggs for damage and wash them before use. It is popular to check the freshness of an egg by dipping it in a glass or bowl of water; the older the egg, the harder it sinks. The color of the fresh egg should not change and it should not give off any odor. “
Preference is given to organic free-range eggs
The eggs of different birds vary in size and may differ slightly in their nutritional properties. However, according to the dietitian, there is no significant difference between eating chicken, quail and duck eggs. Most importantly, choose quality eggs and enrich your diet with them. If a variety of eggs is tried, the diet will be richer and this variety and the health benefits will be greater.
“The concentrations of beneficial substances may vary in the eggs of different birds, but not so significantly as to allow us to assess their composition or health effects. Regarding the nutrition of eggs, all the beneficial ingredients that I have listed are found in eggs from hens raised in various ways. It should be noted that these proportions may vary depending on what the hens eat. Whether they are free-range or captive are ethical and animal welfare issues, but there are a few other nuances. First, a free-growing bird chooses its own food and therefore its egg composition is likely to be the most nutritious, ”says E. Gavelienė.
The Rimi retail chain, which pays close attention to local suppliers and organic products, notices an increase in the number of buyers who, when choosing eggs, take into account the product category indicated on the packaging, preferring chickens Lithuanian, free-range or organic. eggs. “Buyers appreciate Lithuanian products, their freshness and the benefits for the country’s business sector. We constantly review and update the product range, expanding cooperation with local producers and farms, including the country’s smaller farmers, ”says Aurelija Choružaja, Rimi quality expert.
Edgar Mankus, co-founder of the Biaūkis organic chicken farm located in Kelmė district, says that the greatest uniqueness of organic eggs is the priority for quality and better living conditions for chickens: “On our farm absolute naturalness prevails and manual work. We create conditions in which the bird must live in the wild. While we get fewer eggs, we focus on quality. Because we raise relatively few chickens, their quality of life and well-being are significantly better, they are not stressed, so the quality of the egg changes. “
