Table of contents:
- What's in the egg?
- Benefits of consuming eggs
- How to store eggs so they last
- Things that must be considered before consuming eggs
- 1. Bacteria on eggs
- 2. Allergies
- 3. Reduce consumption of eggs if you have diabetes
Eggs are a popular type of food and have been consumed by humans for hundreds of years. Apart from being easy to obtain, eggs also contain various nutrients that are beneficial to the body. Although in recent years several scientific studies have stated that eggs have high cholesterol levels, eggs remain the main choice of food that is good for health.
What's in the egg?
Most of the contents of eggs are macronutrients. One egg contains 78 calories from 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, 1.6 grams of saturated fat, and 212 mg of cholesterol. The high fat content allows eggs to store various fat-soluble vitamins, namely vitamins A, D, E, K. In addition, eggs also contain vitamin A and several types of B vitamins. Some eggs that are specially produced also contain omega-3s. significant.
According to its components, eggs have two main parts, namely egg white and egg yolk, both of which have different nutritional content. Egg white is a clear liquid that surrounds the yolk containing vitamins B2, B6, B12 and half of egg protein, but has a lower fat content than egg yolk. Egg whites are also rich in essential minerals such as iron and zinc, as well as minerals that are difficult to meet from other food sources such as phosphorus and selenium. Whereas most of the yolk is calories and fat.
Benefits of consuming eggs
- Source of body building substances. Protein and fat are the building blocks of the body that are needed for energy sources. Both are the largest components of eggs, where protein makes up about 13% of the egg, while fat is only about 9% and is only found in egg yolks. Egg fat content also tends to be better, where the majority of which is unsaturated fat. Protein also plays a role in repairing and forming body tissues. The type of egg that is produced specifically allows eggs to contain omega-3 which is good for brain development. This makes eggs an alternative to getting protein from other food sources.
- Helps maintain weight. Protein and fat are better sources of calories than food sources with simple carbohydrates such as sugar and rice. Consuming eggs can make you feel full longer with a smaller number of calories. Adding eggs to your breakfast menu can make you more energized and prevent you from eating more food until lunch time.
- Helps meet daily nutritional needs. One chicken egg generally contains significant levels of nutrients, including:
- Vitamin A (6% of the daily requirement)
- Folate (5% of the daily requirement)
- Vitamin B5 (7% of the daily requirement)
- Vitamin B12 (9% of the daily requirement)
- Vitamin B2 (15% of the daily requirement)
- Phosphorus (9% of the daily requirement)
- Selenium (22% of the daily requirement)
- Can help maintain eye health. Besides being rich in vitamin A, eggs also have antioxidant compounds Lutein and Zeaxanthin which is good for eye health. Both are found in egg yolk and are also powerful antioxidants that form the retina of the eye. Eye damage and deficiency of these two substances will also accelerate eye aging so that it can interfere with vision.
- Maintain immune health. Eggs are rich in nutrients that play a role in maintaining immune function, including: vitamin A, vitamin B12, and selenium. Apart from avoiding infectious diseases, the immune system together with choline plays a role in preventing the development of heart disease.
- Maintain healthy skin. The various vitamins and minerals contained in eggs can keep the skin healthy by preventing damage to skin tissue.
How to store eggs so they last
Ensuring that the eggs remain in good condition while they are stored can reduce damage to the contents of the eggs. Here are some things to consider when storing eggs:
- Avoid storing and consuming eggs that have damaged or broken shells.
- Storing eggs at room temperature can cause the eggs to sweat and cause bacteria to enter the eggs.
- Washing eggs with water is also not recommended because water can enter the eggs and damage the protective coating inside the egg shells.
Things that must be considered before consuming eggs
1. Bacteria on eggs
Bacterial contamination can occur before manufacture, because bacteria can enter the eggs through the pores of the eggshells that are released by the birds. Bacteria like Salmonella it can also stay on the surface of the egg white and will survive if the eggs are not fully cooked when cooked, and can cause infection after the eggs are eaten. Therefore, it is recommended that cooking eggs and egg whites look solid to avoid the risk of bacterial infection.
2. Allergies
Apart from infection, avoid consumption if you are allergic to eggs as they can be harmful to health. Egg allergy is not always seen since childhood, but it can only appear around the age of 16 or 17 years. Symptoms of egg allergy include skin rashes, difficulty breathing, and abdominal pain.
3. Reduce consumption of eggs if you have diabetes
Diabetes conditions can cause you to experience various heart diseases even though you have never been diagnosed before. In addition to controlling blood sugar levels, sufferers are also asked to limit calories, control cholesterol and fat levels to prevent more serious damage. However, this is not only affected by the consumption of fat from eggs.
As a precaution, eat less eggs if you have diabetes. As the results of a study that explains daily egg consumption is not good for the health of diabetics. Avoid excess calories by reducing the consumption of fat from egg yolks, so eat only egg whites. In addition, the consumption of raw or undercooked eggs can also be dangerous for diabetics, because it can interfere with the work of biotin in the metabolism of fat and sugar, which is needed by diabetics.