The egg is the ovum of the chicken, a bird of the Phasianidae family. Also known as chicken egg or chicken ovum, it is sweet in flavor and neutral in nature, possessing the functions of nourishing yin and moistening dryness, nourishing the heart and calming the spirit, nourishing blood and securing the fetus, and prolonging life. Eggs are a popular food among the public. Fresh eggs are rich in comprehensive and nutritious nutrients, which nutritionists call the "complete protein model" and are hailed by people as the "ideal nutrition bank."
Its main nutritional components are:
1. Protein: Eggs are rich in high-quality protein. Every 100 grams of eggs contain 12.7 grams of protein. The protein in two eggs is roughly equivalent to the protein in 150 grams of fish or lean meat. The digestibility of egg protein is also the highest among milk, pork, beef, and rice. The protein in fresh eggs is mainly ovalbumin (in the egg white) and vitellin (mainly in the egg yolk). The amino acid composition of its protein is closest to that of human tissue proteins, so the absorption rate is quite high, reaching 99.7%.
2. Fat: Every 100 grams of eggs contain 11.6 grams of fat, mostly concentrated in the yolk, with unsaturated fatty acids being the majority. The fat is in an emulsified state and is easily absorbed by the human body.
3. Amino acids: Eggs are particularly rich in methionine, an essential amino acid that is lacking in grains and legumes. Therefore, mixing eggs with grain or legume foods can improve the biological utilization of the latter. 4. Other micronutrients: Eggs also contain other important micronutrients, such as potassium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus, especially iron in the yolk, which reaches 7 mg/100g; phosphorus in eggs is abundant, but calcium is relatively insufficient. Therefore, consuming dairy products and eggs together can provide complementary nutrition. Eggs are also rich in vitamins A and B. In recent years, nutritionists and medical experts at home and abroad have had six new understandings of the nutritional value and health functions of eggs:
Brain-nourishing and intelligence-enhancing The lecithin, triglycerides, cholesterol, and vitellin in the egg yolk have a significant effect on the nervous system and physical development. After being digested by the human body, lecithin can release choline, which can improve memory in all age groups.
Protecting the liver The protein in eggs has a repairing effect on liver tissue damage. The lecithin in the yolk can promote the regeneration of liver cells. It can also increase the amount of plasma protein in the human body, enhancing the body's metabolic and immune functions.
Preventing and treating arteriosclerosis American nutritionists and medical workers used eggs to prevent and treat atherosclerosis and achieved surprisingly amazing results. They extracted lecithin from eggs, walnuts, and pork liver and gave 4 to 6 tablespoons to patients with cardiovascular diseases daily. After 3 months, the patients' serum cholesterol decreased significantly, and satisfactory results were achieved.
Cancer prevention Eggs contain relatively more vitamin B2, which can decompose and oxidize carcinogens in the human body. Trace elements in eggs, such as selenium and zinc, also have anti-cancer effects. According to an analysis of cancer mortality rates worldwide, it has been found that cancer mortality is inversely proportional to selenium intake.
Delaying aging Eggs contain almost all the nutrients the human body needs. One of the longevity experiences of many elderly people is to eat an egg every day. Many health-preserving medicinal diets passed down in China also include eggs. For example, eggs stewed with He Shou Wu, eggs stewed with pig's brain, egg congee, etc. If eggs are processed into salted eggs, the calcium content will increase significantly, from 55 mg per 100g to 512 mg, which is about 10 times that of fresh eggs, making it especially suitable for people who want to supplement calcium.
Maintaining skin beauty Eggs also contain relatively rich iron. 100 grams of egg yolk contains 150 mg of iron. Iron plays a role in hematopoiesis and in transporting oxygen and nutrients in the blood. The ruddy beauty of a person's face is inseparable from iron. Insufficient iron can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, causing a person's complexion to become sallow and the skin to lose its beautiful luster.由此可见，鸡蛋确是维护皮肤美的重要食品之一. (Note: The original text has a mix of Chinese and English here, but the instruction is to translate the Chinese part. The Chinese part translates to: "Thus, it can be seen that eggs are indeed one of the important foods for maintaining skin beauty.") 鸡蛋不宜与哪些食物同食？
Eggs and milk Milk contains lactose, which is a dimer of galactose and glucose, and galactose is its nutritional value. Eggs contain a lot of protein, which is broken down into amino acids. The absorption of amino acids consumes energy (active transport on the intestinal wall). At this time, there is less glucose available in the blood, and galactose will be oxidized for energy. A certain protein in eggs will react with a certain nutrient in milk, reducing the nutritional value, so they should not be eaten together.
Eggs and soy milk Raw soy milk contains trypsin inhibitors, which can inhibit the activity of human proteases, affecting the digestion and absorption of protein in the human body. The egg white contains a viscous protein that can bind with the trypsin in soy milk, hindering the decomposition of protein and thus reducing the human body's absorption rate of protein.
Eggs and sugar boiled together Many places have the habit of eating sugar water poached eggs. In fact, boiling eggs and sugar together will cause the amino acids in egg protein to form a compound with fructoselysine. This substance is not easily absorbed by the human body and will have adverse effects on health. Which cooking method is more beneficial for retaining the nutrients in eggs?
Eggs can be prepared in many ways. In terms of nutrient absorption and digestibility, boiled eggs are 100%, scrambled eggs are 97%, soft-fried eggs are 98%, hard-fried eggs are 81.1%, eggs poached in boiling water or milk are 92.5%, and raw eggs are 30% to 50%. Thus, boiled eggs are the best way to eat them, but you should chew slowly, otherwise it will affect absorption and digestion. However, for children, steamed egg custard and egg drop soup are the most suitable, because these two methods can break down the protein, making it extremely easy for children to digest and absorb. The vitamin C content in eggs is not high, so it is best to eat an appropriate amount of vegetables with eggs.
Who should not eat eggs?
Although eggs are nutritious, the following people should be cautious when eating eggs.
When a patient has a high fever, do not give them eggs to supplement nutrition, because high fever patients have reduced digestive juice secretion and decreased activity of various digestive enzymes. At this time, it is not advisable to eat high-protein and hard-to-digest eggs. They can only eat light diets, otherwise it will cause symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea, which is not conducive to recovery.
Nephritis patients should also be cautious about eating eggs when their renal function declines and urine output decreases, because at this time, metabolic waste products in the patient's body cannot be excreted by the kidneys. If they eat more eggs, excessive protein intake will increase urea in the body, worsening the condition. Nephrotic patients should avoid eggs when renal failure occurs.
The cholesterol and fat in the egg yolk are metabolized in the liver, increasing the burden on the liver. Therefore, patients with liver and gallbladder diseases should control their egg intake according to their condition.
Protein allergy Some patients with a naturally allergic constitution are prone to protein allergic urticaria, with symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and skin rashes, after consuming a large amount of protein-rich foods at once, such as eggs. Therefore, such patients should avoid protein-rich foods.