Eggs can be prepared in many ways. In terms of nutrient absorption and digestibility, boiled eggs are at 100%, scrambled eggs at 97%, lightly fried eggs at 98%, and heavily fried eggs at 81.1%. Eggs poached or mixed with boiling water or milk have a digestibility of 92.5%, while raw eggs are only 30% to 50% digestible.
Unveiling Cooking Methods
For children, steamed egg custard and egg drop soup are the most suitable among the boiled egg methods, as these two cooking methods break down the protein, making it very easy for children to digest and absorb. However, the technique is important.
Steamed Egg Custard: When beating the egg mixture, air should be evenly incorporated, and the beating time should not be too long. If the temperature is below 20°C, the beating time should be longer (about 5 minutes), so that after steaming, there will be tiny, invisible pores of varying sizes. If the temperature is above 20°C, the time should be slightly shorter. Do not add oil and salt at the very beginning of beating, as this can easily damage the egg colloid, resulting in a coarse and hard custard. If oil and salt are added after the egg mixture is well beaten, give it a few more stirs, then place it in the steamer. The resulting custard will be very soft.
Egg Drop Soup: Add a few drops of vinegar when the soup is boiling. The egg mixture will immediately form beautiful, delicate flakes as it hits the water.
Boiled Eggs: The key is to master the time, with 8 to 10 minutes being generally ideal. If boiled too lightly, the protein is not broken down and is difficult to digest and absorb. If boiled too long, the protein structure changes from loose to tight, which is also difficult to digest and absorb.
Fried Eggs: Avoid high heat, as it will cause significant nutrient loss. When the temperature is too high, the protein in the eggs is destroyed and broken down. This is especially true for eggs that are dark and crispy, where nutrient loss is even more severe. However, the heat should not be too low either, as the cooking time will be relatively long, causing more moisture loss, and the fried eggs will become dry, affecting the texture. Therefore, it is best to use medium heat when frying eggs.
Three Taboos When Eating Eggs
Eggs should not be boiled with sugar: Boiling eggs with sugar at high temperatures produces a substance called glycosyl lysine, which destroys the beneficial amino acids in eggs. Furthermore, this substance has a blood-clotting effect and can be harmful to the human body. If you need to add sugar to boiled eggs, it should be added after they have cooled slightly and mixed in; the taste will not be diminished.
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) should not be added when scrambling eggs: Eggs contain sodium chloride and a large amount of glutamic acid. When heated, these two components generate sodium glutamate, which has a pure, savory flavor. The main component of MSG is also sodium glutamate. If MSG is added when scrambling eggs, it interferes with the egg's own production of sodium glutamate, thus destroying the egg's natural savory flavor.
Hard-boiled eggs that have been soaked in cold water should not be stored: Some people often soak hard-boiled eggs in cold water to make them easier to peel, taking advantage of the different thermal expansion coefficients of the shell and the white. However, this practice is unhygienic. Fresh eggs have a protective layer on their shell that prevents moisture from escaping and stops microorganisms from entering. After the egg is cooked, this membrane is destroyed, and some gas from the air chamber inside escapes. When the egg is then placed in cold water, the temperature in the air chamber drops rapidly, creating a negative pressure. Cold water and microorganisms can then enter the egg through the pores in the shell and the double membrane, making it prone to spoilage during storage.