In China, eggs are considered a health food. Regular consumption can enhance memory, protect the heart and arteries, prevent cancer, and delay aging. However, if not handled and eaten properly, this health food can become "waste" or even "poison." Therefore, it is important to understand the proper way to handle eggs to prevent problems before they arise.
1. Avoid eating undercooked eggs
The protein in raw eggs contains avidin, which affects the absorption of biotin from food, leading to symptoms such as loss of appetite, general weakness, muscle pain, skin inflammation, and eyebrow loss. Eggs also contain trypsin inhibitors, which affect the human body's digestion and absorption of egg protein. In undercooked eggs, these two substances are not broken down, thus affecting protein digestion and absorption. Eggs can be contaminated with bacteria during formation, and undercooked eggs cannot kill these bacteria, easily causing diarrhea. Therefore, eggs should be cooked at high temperatures before eating; do not eat undercooked eggs. The protein structure of a raw egg is dense, and a large part of it cannot be absorbed by the human body. Only when cooked does the protein become soft, allowing the human 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 such as saliva, gastric juice, and intestinal juice, leading to loss of appetite and indigestion. 2. Avoid overcooked eggs
If eggs are boiled for too long, a gray-green layer of iron sulfide will form on the surface of the yolk, which is difficult for the body to absorb. The protein will become hard and tough as it ages, affecting appetite and making it difficult to absorb. 3. Eggs should not be boiled with sugar
Boiling eggs with sugar will produce a substance called glycosyllysine due to high temperatures, destroying the beneficial amino acid components in eggs. This substance also has a blood-clotting effect and can cause harm after entering the human body. If you need to add sugar to boiled eggs, you should wait until they have cooled slightly before stirring it in; the flavor will not be diminished.
4. No need to add monosodium glutamate (MSG) when frying eggs
Eggs contain sodium chloride and a large amount of glutamic acid. After heating, these two ingredients generate sodium glutamate, which has a pure umami flavor. The main component of MSG is also sodium glutamate. If MSG is added when frying eggs, it will interfere with the egg's own synthesis of sodium glutamate, destroying the egg's natural umami flavor. 5. Avoid storing cooked eggs after soaking in cold water
Some people often soak cooked eggs in cold water to make the shells 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 film on their surface that prevents moisture from evaporating and microbes from entering. After the eggs are cooked, this film on the shell is destroyed, and some gas from the air chamber inside escapes. When the egg is placed in cold water, the temperature in the air chamber drops sharply, creating a negative pressure. Cold water and microbes can then enter the egg through the pores in the shell and the double membrane inside, making it prone to spoilage during storage. Eggs: What is the best way to eat them?
The most nutritious cooking method: There are many ways to eat eggs. In terms of nutrient absorption and digestibility, soft-boiled eggs are at 100%, scrambled eggs at 97%, soft-fried at 98%, hard-fried at 81.1%, poached in water or milk at 92.5%, and raw at 30%-50%. Therefore, boiling eggs is the best way to eat them, but be sure to chew slowly, otherwise it will affect absorption and digestion. However, for children, steamed egg custard and egg drop soup are the most suitable, as these methods break down the protein, making it very easy for children to digest and absorb.
Note: Tea eggs should be eaten in moderation because tea contains acidic substances that combine with the iron in eggs, irritating the stomach and affecting digestive function.
How many eggs to eat per day: Eggs are a high-protein food. Eating too many can lead to an increase in metabolic waste products and also burden the kidneys. Generally, it is appropriate for children and the elderly to eat one egg per day, and for adolescents and adults to eat two eggs per day. Is the white or the yolk better? The correct way is to eat the whole egg. The white contains more protein, while the yolk contains more other nutrients.
Six types of eggs that should never be eaten
Cracked eggs: During transportation, storage, and packaging, eggs can be cracked due to vibration and squeezing, making them easily invaded by bacteria. If they have been stored for a long time, they should not be eaten.
Stuck-to-shell eggs: These eggs have been stored for too long, and the yolk membrane has weakened from tough to fragile, causing the yolk to stick to the shell. If only a part is red, it can still be eaten, but if the membrane is tightly stuck to the shell and the outside is dark black with a strange smell, it should not be eaten.
Smelly eggs: Bacteria invade the egg and multiply in large numbers, causing spoilage. The eggshell becomes dark gray, and the shell may even rupture due to expansion from internal hydrogen sulfide gas. The contents inside will be gray-green or dark yellow with a foul smell. Such eggs cannot be eaten, as they will cause bacterial food poisoning.
Broken-yolk eggs: Due to violent shaking during transportation, the yolk membrane ruptures, causing mechanical breakage of the yolk. Or, if stored for too long, bacteria or molds enter the egg through the shell's pores, destroying the protein structure and causing the yolk to break, making the egg liquid thin and cloudy. If the yolk is not broken severely and there is no strange smell, it can still be eaten after high-temperature cooking like frying. However, if bacteria have multiplied inside the egg and the protein has become denatured with a foul smell, it should not be eaten.
Dead embryo eggs: These are eggs where the embryo has stopped developing during the incubation process due to bacterial or parasitic contamination, as well as poor temperature and humidity conditions. The nutritional content of such eggs has changed. If the death occurred a long time ago, the protein will be decomposed into various toxic substances, so they should not be eaten.
Moldy eggs: Some eggs are rained on or become damp, washing away the protective film on the shell's surface, allowing bacteria to enter and cause mold and spoilage. The shell will have black spots and mold. Such eggs should not be purchased or eaten. In addition, eggs with yellow runny yolks or blood streaks should generally not be purchased or eaten either.