Eggs are inexpensive and nutritious. After reading this, you'll never have to worry about not knowing how to cook eggs again! Uncovering the best ways to eat eggs: A nutritional ranking of egg preparations.
The Most Nutritious Ways to Eat Eggs
It's almost common knowledge that eggs are nutritious. They have been given grand titles such as "the world's most nutritious breakfast," "the ideal nutrient reservoir," and "the highest quality protein." But did you know that different cooking methods, such as boiled, steamed, poached, or scrambled, have a significant impact on the absorption of their nutrients? This newspaper has invited authoritative nutritionists to analyze the nutritional value of eggs in detail and list the "Egg Preparation Ranking" to tell you which cooking method is best for absorbing the most protein, benefiting your heart, and supplementing vitamins.
Which is more nutritious: the yolk or the white?
When eating an egg, you're dealing with two parts: the white and the yolk. Some people believe the yolk is nutritious and discard the white, eating only the yolk. Others fear gaining weight and eat only the white, throwing away the yolk. So, which is more nutritious: the yolk or the white?
In fact, the egg white and yolk each have their own advantages, but their nutritional compositions are vastly different. Besides 90% water, the remaining 10% of the egg white is primarily protein. Don't underestimate this 10% protein; it contains most of the protein in the egg. The protein in eggs is second only to breast milk in terms of utilization by the human body and is one of the highest-quality proteins in food.
Compared to the white, the nutritional components of the yolk are much more complex. All the fat in an egg is concentrated in the yolk, but most of it is beneficial fatty acids for the human body. It also contains oleic acid, the main component of olive oil, which is beneficial for preventing heart disease. Furthermore, most of the vitamins A, D, E, K, and minerals like phosphorus and iron are found in the yolk. Although the absorption rate of iron is relatively low, it is crucial for infants who cannot eat meat. At the same time, the yolk contains a very important substance called lecithin, which is particularly vital for brain development and also helps lower cholesterol. The color of the yolk also holds a rich nutritional code: it contains riboflavin, which prevents cracks at the corners of the mouth, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect the eyes. Often, the darker the yolk, the higher the content of these vitamins.
Some people fear the cholesterol in egg yolks, but this is a very mistaken notion. If an elderly person's serum cholesterol is too low, it can lead to a weakened immune system and affect the strength of blood vessels, which is also detrimental to cardiovascular health. Therefore, it is very healthy for a healthy person to eat one or two egg yolks a day. For people with already high blood lipids, eating half a yolk per day is more appropriate.
How to Eat Eggs for Maximum Nutrition
Among all foods, egg preparations are perhaps the most diverse. Fan Zhihong, an associate professor at the College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering at China Agricultural University, who is dedicated to culinary and nutritional research, has helped us list three egg preparation rankings based on various research and experimental data. Ultimately, it was found that no matter the list, "boiled eggs in the shell" ranked first.
"Heart-Healthy Ranking":
First Place: Boiled egg in the shell. Without a drop of oil, a low cooking temperature, and the cholesterol in the yolk not being exposed to oxygen (once oxidized, cholesterol becomes one of the most serious threats to cardiovascular health), this is the most heart-healthy way to eat eggs.
Second Place: Poached egg.
Third Place: Egg drop soup and steamed egg.
Fourth Place: Fried egg.
Fifth Place: Scrambled egg (pancake-style). This refers to an egg pancake made with a small amount of oil over low heat, so the cholesterol in the yolk is not significantly oxidized.
Sixth Place: Scrambled eggs. The eggs are beaten before being scrambled, so the cholesterol in the yolk has more contact with the air and is more oxidized. Eggs absorb a lot of oil, so the oil consumption is also higher.
"Protein Digestibility Ranking":
First Place: Boiled egg in the shell. Research shows that the protein digestibility of a boiled egg is as high as 99.7%, meaning it is almost entirely absorbed and utilized by the body.
Second Place: Fried egg and scrambled egg (pancake-style). The protein digestibility for these two methods is 98%.
Third Place: Scrambled eggs. Protein digestibility is 97%.
Fourth Place: Steamed egg. Protein digestibility is 92.5%.
Fifth Place: Raw egg. Protein digestibility is only 30% to 50%.
"Vitamin Retention Ranking":
First Place: Boiled egg in the shell. Low heating temperature preserves nutrients comprehensively.
Second Place: Steamed egg. Lower heating temperature results in less loss of water-soluble vitamins like riboflavin and lutein.
Third Place: Poached egg. Lower heating temperature results in a slight loss of water-soluble vitamins.
Fourth Place: Fried egg. High heating temperature causes loss of both fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) and water-soluble vitamins.
Fifth Place: Scrambled egg (pancake-style). High heating temperature causes loss of all vitamins.
Sixth Place: Scrambled eggs. High heating temperature causes significant vitamin loss.
Soak boiled eggs for 5 minutes
Knowing the best way to cook eggs is not enough. If done incorrectly, it not only affects the texture but also impacts the nutritional value and can even produce harmful substances.
Boiling eggs: Eggs should be placed in cold water, heated slowly, and simmered on low heat for 3 minutes after the water comes to a boil, then soaked for another 5 minutes after turning off the heat. This method results in tender egg whites, a firm but not overcooked yolk, optimal protein denaturation, and is the easiest to digest. Eggs boiled for more than 10 minutes not only become tough in texture and lose more vitamins, but the protein also becomes harder to digest.
Poaching eggs: Crack the egg into boiling water, then reduce the heat to simmer until cooked. You can add tomatoes, greens, etc., to savory poached eggs, or fermented glutinous rice, red dates, goji berries, etc., to sweet ones.
Steamed egg custard: Do not add oil or salt while beating the eggs, as this can easily damage the egg's gelatin, resulting in a coarse and hard custard. Also, do not stir vigorously; a few gentle stirs to ensure evenness are enough before steaming. Additionally, adding a little milk when steaming the custard will make its texture smoother and increase its nutritional value.
Fried egg: Use low heat and a small amount of oil. Some people like to fry the egg white until it's crispy and browned, which not only loses nutrients but can also produce carcinogens. It's best to fry only one side until the white is set. Scrambled egg (pancake-style): Use a small amount of oil, preferably over medium heat. If the pancake is a bit thicker, it is better for retaining nutrients.
Scrambled eggs: Use medium heat; avoid high heat, as it will cause significant nutrient loss and make the eggs tough. However, the heat shouldn't be too low either, as a long cooking time will cause too much moisture loss, making the eggs dry and affecting the texture. How to eat eggs? Scrambled eggs are convenient and delicious, but many people end up with eggs that are broken into pieces, too tough, sometimes burnt, or even have an eggy smell. In fact, if you add two secret ingredients when beating the eggs, you can easily make perfect scrambled eggs.
The first secret ingredient is cooking wine. This not only allows you to use less oil but also makes the eggs more tender and flavorful. When you add a little cooking wine to the beaten eggs, the small amount of alcohol it contains will cause the egg proteins to coagulate much faster when heated. This makes the eggs easier to shape and less likely to break. Furthermore, the proteins coagulate before they have a chance to become tough, resulting in a more tender scramble. At the same time, cooking wine is also excellent for removing the eggy smell, reducing greasiness, and enhancing freshness. For scrambling about 5 eggs, about 5 grams of cooking wine is suitable. Note that you should not add too much cooking wine at a time, and do not use baijiu (a strong Chinese liquor) as a substitute.
The other secret ingredient is water. When beating the eggs, add water and mix them well, then stir-fry them over low heat in a pan. The eggs will have a particularly tender texture and are less likely to stick to the pan. For scrambling about 5 eggs, adding about 50 grams of water is appropriate, with a maximum of not exceeding 100 grams. Adding too much can cause oil splatters when added to the pan. Also, make sure the water and eggs are beaten thoroughly.