Egg - A Multi-Vitamin Supplement Packed With Egg Proteins

Eggs are rich source of all nutrients except vitamin C. There are hundreds of recipes in which eggs are used as main dishes or as binding agent, foaming agent, leveling agent, decorative agent, boiled, poached, scrambles, and omelets.

Egg Nutrition Facts And Information About Egg Calories

• Vitamin A present in eggs is essential for normal growth and development.
• Vitamin D present in egg yolk (one of the few natural source of this vitamin) helps in mineral absorption and thus good bone health.
• Vitamin E present in eggs protects against some cancers and also heart diseases.
• Iodine and phosphorous present in eggs is essential for making thyroid hormones and maintaining normal teeth and bone health.
• The protein quality of eggs is excellent as compared to other dietary proteins; it provides nearly all the essential proteins required for growth and development. Thus egg protein is used as standard or reference for evaluating the protein from other diet sources.
• Eggs are also good source for albumin and glutamine, which are less likely in other foods.
• The cholesterol present in egg yolks should be consumed with a word of caution for people with altered lipid profile, heart diseases, diabetes and obesity.
• One medium size egg contains 214 mg of cholesterol.
• On the contrary lutein found in eggs has a protective effect on heart, by slowing down the progression of atherosclerosis.

Egg Facts

• When we say eggs 95% population commonly refer to chicken eggs that are not fertile.
• Eggs are a very economical way to fulfill the essential nutritional requirements of the body.
• Eggs are used to lose weight as after ingestion it gives a feeling of satiety and a person tends to feel hungry only after 6-8 hours.
• It just takes 24-26 hours for a hen to lay an egg, and then it rests for 30 minutes and starts the process again.
• World egg day is celebrated on second Friday of October each year.
• It is best to cook eggs and eat to avoid food poisoning caused by the bacteria salmonella (if consumed in large numbers) and to destroy the anti nutritional factors present in egg (avidin and ovomucoid).

To maintain the freshness of the eggs it is wise to refrigerate them as they are perishable.
It is immaterial to argue on the topic of which came first – the chicken or egg? But it is definite that both came before evolution of mankind. Whatever may be the answer enjoy eggs to gain its nutritional benefits and to stay healthy.

Egg diet

The egg diet is a diet that is taken up by many people so as to lose fat as well as to lower the levels of bad cholesterol. The egg diet is basically a low carbohydrate diet  which works on the principle of nutritional fasting wherein one stops eating certain nutrient and not all of them. In an egg diet, the only type of nutrient that the individual is not allowed to consume is carbohydrates. The eggs diet is basically considered to be a variation of the Atkins diet. There are many versions of the egg diet that are easily available on the internet however the most basic egg diet plan involves the individual deriving their nutrition on a daily basis from eggs, lean protein, grapefruit or low carbohydrate vegetables. As part of the egg diet plan, both lunch and dinner in the egg diet may comprise of servings of eggs or lean protein in the form of chicken or fish. The egg diet also makes provision for low carbohydrates vegetables and salad consumption however this consumption in the egg diet is restricted to just a maximum of two serving daily. The egg diet strictly prohibits the consumption of other carbohydrate rich foods such as pasta, potatoes and breads. An extreme version of the egg diet involves the individual only consuming water and hard boiled eggs for the entire given period of time. Exercise is not recommended as part of the egg diet.

One of the benefits of the egg diet is that it is relatively inexpensive and the high carbohydrate and high protein content tends to reduce ones appetite. Additionally, another of the egg diet benefits is that eggs are an excellent source of vitamins and proteins and the high protein derived from the egg diet tends to increase the rate at which the body burns calories. In fact research has also shown that consuming eggs for breakfast tends to promote weight loss over a period of time. However the egg diet also has certain drawbacks because it is essentially a form of crash dieting and is hence not a balanced or healthy approach to eating. Additionally the lack or shortage of carbohydrates makes it difficult for the individual to engage in any strenuous physical activity. Many people have even reported experiencing nausea and fatigue in the first few days of following the egg diet as the body has to adapt to a reduction in the intake of carbohydrates. Moreover it has been observed that after following the egg diet for a certain period of time and achieving the desired weight loss many people tend to return to their regular dietary habit which may then result in them gaining weight yet again.

Hence the egg diet is not an appropriate solution for long term weight loss. Most of the times the egg diet may require the individual to consume only the egg albumin and the egg calories are mostly present in the yolk of the egg. Some of the egg benefits are that eggs are known to be very healthy for the eyes.

For ages people have been eating the eggs laid by the females of various species including fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. The eggs of reptiles and birds consist of the vitellus, albumen, and a protective egg shell. Whole eggs and egg yolks contain a lot of chlorine and protein and that is why the United States Department of Agriculture has put eggs under the category of meats in the food guide pyramid. Some of the most popular choices for the consumption of eggs are caviar, roe, duck, and chicken. However, the cost, availability, nutritional value, and taste of chicken eggs make it the most popularly eaten by people. Owing to the ease, taste and flexibility of cooking, preparations of eggs have become a favorite with everyone, particularly those who find no time to cook. 

Nutrition facts for eggs: The contents of an egg are meant to provide food for the growing embryo unlike in mammals where the mother supplies the nutrition till birth and also during early life. These natural requirements make the egg rich in nutrients. The color of the egg shell whether brown or white has no connection to the nutritional value. The protein of eggs is considered to be the most superior and is used as a yardstick to compare the proteins in other foods. The protein of eggs can be utilized, absorbed, and digested by the body better as compared to other sources. The egg of a chicken has a weight of around 60 grams and consists of 30 percent of yolk, 60 percent of white, and 10 percent of an outer layer. The outer shell is made of calcium carbonate, and the white of the egg is made of protein, which is a good source of riboflavin. The yolk of the egg consists mainly of fat, but in an emulsified form, making it easier to be assimilated and digested by the body. It contains 1.33 grams of cholesterol for 100 grams. It is also an excellent source of iron, lecithin, phosphorous, calcium, and vitamins A and B.

The average egg of a chicken weighing 60 grams contains 1.26 milligrams of iron, 132 milligrams of phosphorous, 35 milligrams of calcium, 103 Kcl, 7.9 grams of fat, and 7.9 grams of protein. The powder of an egg contains around 43 percent fat and 40 percent of proteins and is an excellent source of riboflavin and vitamin A. It also contains 3.9 grams of cholesterol per 100 grams and has good quantities of phosphorous and iron. Poached eggs and soft boiled eggs are considered to be better than eggs cooked using other methods.  Even nine-month-old infants can digest an egg yolk easily. Eggs have an effective use in slimming diets as they contain very less quantities of carbohydrates but lots of minerals, vitamins, and proteins. Egg nutrition facts and benefits will vary depending on the style of cooking, mainly, whether it is boiled or scrambled.  Also, the yolk and white of an egg have different nutritional benefits.

Egg nutrition facts of hard boiled eggs. Hard boiled eggs are prepared simply by boiling the eggs in water for around 10 minutes and then cooling them. The shell of the egg is then cracked and it is ready to eat. Hard boiled eggs’ nutritional information is as follows: 20 milligrams of calcium, 6 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar, 1 gram of carbohydrates, 55 milligrams of sodium, 190 milligrams of cholesterol, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, and 5 grams of fat. It also consists of 22.0 percent of selenium, 15.1 percent of riboflavin, 2.5 percent of vitamin E, 3.0 percent of vitamin B6, 9.3 percent of vitamin B12, and 5.6 percent of vitamin A. Hard boiled eggs’ nutritional value benefits the health of the brain and enables effective integrity and flexibility of the cells. Hard boiled eggs are also beneficial for the skin due to the vitamin A present in them. As they contain iron, they also help in the formation of the red blood cells, and the calcium present in them helps strengthen the teeth and bones. However, with all the benefits you can get from hard boiled eggs, you should make sure to keep a limit of two eggs a day. Although the blood lipid levels do not increase with the cholesterol in the yolk of the egg, eating more than two eggs can cause other complications.

Egg nutrition facts of egg white. The white of the egg, also known as albumen, is the liquid that surrounds the yolk of the egg. The purpose of the egg white is to provide the nutrition for the growing embryo. This is why the white of the egg is filled with nutrients and makes a perfect nutritional supplement. The egg white is considered to be one of the richest and purest sources of protein. Most of the supplements of protein made for bodybuilders are got from the egg white. Apart from 90 percent of the egg which is made of water, the rest consists of glucose, fats, vitamins, minerals, and proteins. There are around 40 types of proteins present in the white of the egg, with each one beneficial to the body. Just like with everything, eating too much of egg white can cause problems like a deficiency of biotin and constipation. 

It is also essential that you make sure to store the eggs properly after you have bought them. As soon as you bring them home you should refrigerate them at a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius or less. Avoid washing the eggs as the shells protective coating will be lost, which will allow the bacteria present on the egg to penetrate the shell.