Un-scrambling egg myths

The symbol of fertility and new life- the egg is a popular form of food eaten by and large across the globe. Scrambled eggs, egg rolls, boiled eggs, to egg salad; eggs may be eaten in various forms; added to various dishes and drunk in many forms like eggnog on Christmas.  In fact, eggs are a common association on Easter’s day when they are painted in bright colours to symbolize the sunlight of spring. The egg whites contain almost all the protein and no fat, whereas the egg yolk contains almost all the fat and cholesterol and less protein. An egg contains all the essential proteins, vitamins and minerals except Vitamin C. Eggs are a rich source of Vitamin A. Eggs are known to defend and improve eyesight by preventing diseases like cataract. Eggs have a high content of vitamin D and this gives rise to strong and healthy bones. One egg contains 5.6 g of fat in it, where 1.5g is saturated fat and the rest is poly and mono saturated fats which are the good fats. Take a peek at some interesting egg facts!

Egg facts:

• An egg white has 17 calories
• An egg yolk has 59 calories in it
• Fried egg has 92 calories in it
• One hard-boiled egg has 76 calories in it
• Scrambled eggs have 100 calories( excluding the additional ingredients like cheese, tomatoes, etc)

Unscrambling the Myths yolk by yolk:

1. Eggs raise blood cholesterol levels & lead to heart diseases:

Often misconstrued by many eggs are believed to be a potential source of fat- in short a potential cholesterol level booster. Eggs contain five grams of fat. Cholesterol is not fat! It is a waxy substance that resembles fat but is very different. It was thus believed by nutritionists that eggs could clog up people’s arteries.

2.  Eating egg whites are healthier than eating whole eggs:

An egg white contains absolutely no nutrition in it. It contains only half an egg’s protein and almost all of its sodium. It contains the purest form of mineral such as iron, which helps create new red blood cells, zinc which is good for enzyme stability and calcium and phosphorus which strengthens bones and teeth, iodine which controls thyroid hormones and selenium which works as vitamin E.

3. Brown eggs are more nutritious than white eggs:

The quality, nutritive value, flavour, cooking characteristic has nothing to do with the egg shell colour. The eggshell colour has to do with the breed of the hen.

4. Eggs must be avoided when pregnant:

Eggs form a rich source of proteins for pregnant women. Containing 6.25 grams of protein of the highest quality and all the essential 9 amino acids your body requires, eggs enable the baby to grow normally and even help build his resistance for the future. It also helps in the development of the mother’s uterus, breasts and other reserves.