Eggs – do they benefit or harm?
Eggs – do they benefit or harm?

Easter is here again and with it comes the question – what to do with so many eggs? You won’t find the answer to this question in this article, but you will learn whether eggs are healthy or if eating them is a threat to our health. After all, they contain the much dreaded cholesterol! But don’t worry, cholesterol from eggs is not harmful to your health!

This myth seems to have originated because the word cholesterol is used to mean two different things. The dietary cholesterol in eggs has little to do with the amount of cholesterol in your body. The fat molecules in animal foods such as eggs do not significantly increase the amount of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream.

Certain saturated and trans-saturated fats fill the body with cholesterol. Eggs contain relatively small amounts of saturated fats. For example, one large egg contains about 1.5 grams of this fat, which is only a small fraction of the amount of butter used in the preparation of ox eye.

Avoiding eggs in the diet is not a good idea as they are a rich source of good quality fats, riboflavin, selenium, vitamins and minerals. The yolk is particularly rich in vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as carotenoids, calcium and iron. Egg white is considered the best source of protein. It is the so-called reference protein, which is used to compare the nutritional value of proteins in other foods. It contains all the essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make.

As far as the colour of the egg is concerned, it is only a reflection of the breed of the hen; there are no differences in the nutritional quality of white and brown eggs. Nevertheless, there are some national preferences between white and brown eggs. Most Americans, for example, prefer white, while the English prefer brown.

Therefore, if you eat one or two whole eggs a day and follow a proper diet, there is no danger.

The important thing is the preparation. This can make a big difference to the digestibility of eggs. Soft-boiled eggs are the most digestible (they leave the stomach after one to two hours), raw and hard-boiled eggs are the least digestible (they stay in the stomach for two and a half to three hours) and fried eggs are the least digestible (they can stay in the stomach for up to six hours). However, we should not forget the risk of salmonella from undercooked eggs.

Always keep eggs in the fridge. It is not advisable to wash or wipe them before storing, as this will break the protective coating. Store them in the coldest place in the refrigerator. The moulded areas in the fridge door are not suitable for storing eggs as they are exposed to heat every time the fridge is opened. It is best to store eggs in cardboard packaging, which protects the eggs on all sides and prevents the absorption of the aromas of some strongly flavoured foods through the porous shells.

Eggs are one of the best sources of protein: the white contains no fat or cholesterol, and most of the fat in the yolk is healthful!

1 boiled egg contains:
Energy 78 kCal
Protein 6.3 g
Carbohydrates 0.6 g
Fat 5.3 g
Fiber 0.0 g
Riboflavin 26 mg
Sodium 63 mg
Selenium 15 mcg

Egg yolk contains
Weight 17 g
Energy 55 kCal / 229 kJ
Protein 2.7 g
Carbohydrates 0.6 g
Total fat 4.6 g
Saturated (bad) fat 1.6 g
Monounsaturated fat 2.4 g
Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g
Cholesterol 210 mg

Egg white contains
Weight 33 g
Energy 17 kCal / 71 kJ
Protein 3.6 g
Carbohydrates 0.2 g
Fat 0.06 g
Cholesterol 0.0 g