Eggs are a common sight on our dining tables, from scrambled eggs with tomatoes and egg drop soup to egg pancakes. However, some of the ways we think are good to eat eggs can actually be harmful to our health. What are these incorrect methods? Let's find out below...
One: Eating Eggs with Soy Milk Reduces Nutritional Value
People often drink soy milk mixed with raw eggs, believing that since both are rich in protein, they are beneficial for health. From a scientific dietary perspective, soy milk is mild in nature and taste, containing many nutrients like plant protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, and is nourishing when consumed alone. However, the two should not be eaten together. This is because raw soy milk contains trypsin inhibitors, which can inhibit the activity of human proteases, affecting the digestion and absorption of protein in the body. The egg white contains a viscous protein that can bind with the trypsin in soy milk, hindering protein breakdown and thus reducing the body's absorption rate of protein.
Two: Eating Undercooked Eggs Can Easily Cause Diarrhea
Egg whites contain avidin, which affects the absorption of biotin in food, leading to symptoms like loss of appetite, general weakness, muscle pain, skin inflammation, and eyebrow loss. Eggs also contain antitrypsin, which affects the human body's digestion and absorption of egg protein. In undercooked eggs, these two substances have not been broken down, thus affecting protein digestion and absorption. Eggs can become contaminated with bacteria during formation, and bacteria can pass through the small pores in the shell into the egg. Undercooked eggs cannot kill these bacteria, which can at least cause diarrhea. Therefore, eggs should be cooked at high temperatures before eating and not consumed undercooked. The protein structure of raw eggs is dense, and a large portion cannot be absorbed by the body. Only when cooked does the protein become soft and loose, allowing the gastrointestinal tract to digest and absorb it. Raw eggs have a special fishy smell that can suppress the central nervous system, reducing the secretion of digestive fluids like saliva, gastric juice, and intestinal juice, leading to loss of appetite and indigestion.
Three: Adding Monosodium Glutamate When Scrambling Eggs Destroys the Umami Flavor
Eggs contain sodium chloride and a large amount of glutamic acid. When heated, these two ingredients naturally form monosodium glutamate, which has a pure umami flavor. The main component of MSG is also monosodium glutamate. If MSG is added when scrambling eggs, it interferes with the egg's own synthesis of monosodium glutamate, not only destroying the egg's natural umami but also failing to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Four: Overcooked Eggs Affect Absorption
Overcooked eggs are not necessarily better. A research study indicates that overcooking increases the loss of nutrients and fat oxidation in eggs. The study found that compared to scrambled eggs, overcooked eggs have a 16% greater loss of vitamin E and a 30.4% higher degree of fat oxidation. Researchers also found that for eggs rich in omega-3 fatty acids, cooking can increase their fat oxidation by 3 to 9 times. When an egg is boiled for too long, a gray-green layer of iron sulfide forms on the surface of the yolk, which is difficult for the body to absorb. The protein becomes hard and tough as it ages, making the egg very hard, which is not only unpleasant to eat but also affects digestion and absorption.
Five: Boiling Eggs with Sugar Causes Blood to Clot
Under prolonged heating, a chemical reaction occurs between the amino acids in eggs and sugar, producing a compound called glycosyllysine. This compound destroys the beneficial amino acid components in eggs. The resulting compound is not only difficult for the body to absorb but is also toxic and has a blood-clotting effect, which can be harmful after entering the body. If sugar needs to be added to boiled eggs, it should be added and stirred in after the egg has cooled slightly, without compromising the taste.
Six: Storing Hard-Boiled Eggs After Soaking in Cold Water Can Easily Lead to Spoilage
Some people often soak hard-boiled eggs in cold water, using the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of the eggshell and egg white to make the shell easier to peel. However, this practice is unhygienic. In fact, fresh eggs have a protective layer on their surface that prevents moisture from evaporating and stops microorganisms from invading. When an egg is cooked, the film on the shell is destroyed, allowing some gas from the air chamber inside to escape. 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 inside, making it more prone to spoilage during storage.