The easiest and most nutritious way to boil an egg.

The Most Nutritious Way to Boil Eggs

Boiling eggs may seem simple, but it's difficult to get the timing right. If boiled for too short a time, the yolk will be undercooked; if boiled for too long, the egg will become tough and unpalatable. Experts tell us that the best time to boil an egg is 5 minutes.

★Specific method: Place the eggs in cold water. Once the water comes to a boil, set a timer for 5 minutes. This method kills harmful pathogenic bacteria while relatively preserving the nutrients in the egg.

If an egg is boiled in boiling water for more than 10 minutes, a series of chemical changes occur inside the protein structure. The protein becomes more compact and less able to contact protein digestive enzymes in the stomach, making it harder to digest. Furthermore, the methionine in the egg, after prolonged heating, breaks down into sulfides. These react with the iron in the yolk to form iron sulfide, which is not easily absorbed by the body, resulting in significant nutrient loss.

Boiled Eggs

★Undercooked eggs are even more harmful

Raw eggs not only pose a risk of Salmonella contamination but also contain two harmful substances: avidin and trypsin inhibitor. The former affects the digestion and absorption of protein; the latter can bind with biotin in food, leading to biotin deficiency in the body, which can cause symptoms like mental fatigue and muscle soreness.

★Tips: You can also master the following techniques when boiling eggs to prevent nutrient loss

1. The water must completely cover the eggs; otherwise, the protein in the part not submerged will not coagulate properly, affecting digestion.

2. Before boiling, soak the eggs in cold water for a while to reduce the internal pressure of the egg. Then, bring the cold water to a boil over medium heat. This can prevent the eggshell from cracking and avoid nutrient loss.