Eggs

Eggs
Eggs are foods very often consumed by man because they have a good taste (and give a good taste to any dish) and because they are nutricious foods. Usually, we eat chicken eggs. They have the average weight of 60 g. The egg shell is made of calcium salts, which cannot be digested by humans, even if they are very well triturated. The egg white is a suspension of proteins in water, eich in minerals and vitamins. Egg yolk, three times smaller than egg white is a smooth emulsion of lipids, having also proteins, minerals and vitamins. Eggs represent an excellent source of proteins of high quality. The mixture of proteins of egg white and yolk represents the most valuable protein of mans nutrition, being thus used as term of comparison for other proteins. The egg proteins have an efficiency of 3,8g , greater than milk or meat proteins. They are also rich in sulfur. This is why fresh ands especially altered eggs have a strong sulfur odor. Besides the useful nutrients, in egg white there are some proteic compounds that are rather novice for man: Avidin (an antivitamin for biotin) and an antienzyme (antitripisin). The bioavailability of proteins from egg is maximal for egg yolk, raw or cooked. For egg white, the bioavailability is maximal only in a cooked form (raw is used only at a ratio of 50%) The vitamins of eggs are: fatsoluble, concentrated in egg yolk (A, as carotene and as retinol and D) and water soluble (both in yolk and in white and they are from the B complex). Unfortunately, eggs , as a lot of other foods, dont have enough thiamin. In egg yolk there are also P (with an excellent bioavailability, because is found linked in organic complexes, with lipids and proteins), iron and a little level of calcium. Eggs are an excellent source of iron. In egg white there are chloride and sulfur. The lipids of eggs are well emulsionated, being very easy digested. The level of lipids varies very little after the species (e.g., duck eggs are 3% fatter than chicken eggs), but whatever egg, the types of lipids are the same. The greatest percent is formed by the triglycerides, where the dominant type of fatty acids varies after the fourge given to the chicken. Than, we have phospholipids. Eggs
are very rich in lecithin, being a tonic for the brain activity. And last but not least, eggs have a high level of cholesterol. Carbs are at a very low level. So eggs can be associated with other foods rich in carbs, like cereals or fruit and vegetables. Eggs are easy digestible aliments. There is only one exception: the gall bladder problems, because the eggs lipids are stimulating the contraction of this gland. The effect is useful in hipokinetic gall bladder problems. But its completly not advised for hyperkinetic gall bladder problems. So eggs can be eaten without negative side effects in gastritis, gastric ulcer, enteritis or colitis. The digestibility of eggs depends also of the thermal treatment applied to this food. As a general rule, egg white must be eaten only coagulated, because only in this way we can inactivate the antinutritive factors present here. But for an easy digestion, egg yolk must be fluid, because only in this form its lipids are kept in an emulsionated state. For ducks and goose eggs this rule is not apliable.They must be very well treated, because they must carry Salmonella. So boil for 10 minutes these eggs and never use them in a raw form, for mayonnaise, custards, etc. Thermal treatment of eggs can be done in several ways, but if we fry it in a lot of fat, at temperatures that exceed 190 grads, for a long period of time, this easy digestible aliment becomes a real burden for our digestive system. In conclusion, eggs have a huge plastic effect, are antianemic aliments and have an excellent effect of stimulation on the brain activity. Also, eggs are low sodium foods and dont have nucleoproteins. The caloric level is rather low, a chicken egg having around 80 Kcal. The calories are mostly given by the egg yolk, egg white being extremely light (15 kcal/100g). The excess of eggs is harmful only because eggs are rich in cholesterol. An active grown up can consume 4-5 eggs /week, a child, an egg every day. But elder persons or people with high colesterolemia must resume their egg consumption at 2-3 eggs weekly. Egg yolk can be at the origin of some allergies, so until one year of age, its not suitable to eat egg yolks. In fresh eggs, there are not dangerous bacteria, with the possible exception of salmonella (in ducks or goose eggs). But elaborated dishes, containing eggs, can be, if the hygiene is not well respected, at the origin of some food borne diseases (keep in mind that eggs are an excellent medium of development for bacteria, but in their shell, they are well protected. As soon as eggs are depleted from their natural ways of defense, they can presumably become a threat for the consumer`a health).

Eggs

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