The eggs that you eat – Myths and facts

The eggs that you eat – Myths and facts

What one eats plays an important role in the overall well-being. We need to understand which food has the maximum nutrition in which form. And which will suit our body the best. Talking about food that has the maximum nutrition, eggs come to mind instantly. It is the easiest to cook and consume and is among the healthiest. This powerhouse of protein, unfortunately is also surrounded by many myths. Here is a list and why we call them myths.

Myth 1: Eating eggs gain you extra calories.

Absolutely not. Eggs are a low-calorie food, high in protein. Eggs support in weight loss. Nutritionists and dieticians recommend eggs in a calorie-controlled diet. Consumption of eggs increases the feeling of fullness and help in boosting metabolic activity. As eggs are rich in protein, eating them for breakfast gives a feeling of fullness for a longer time. And then one can opt for a small lunch.

Myth 2: The colour of eggs represent the quality.

One often hears people associating the colour of yolk to the nutrition and the quality of eggs. But the yolk color is determined by the pigments in the food consumed by the hen. If the orange-yellow pigment xanthophylls is more in the food consumed by the hen, like corn, then the yolk colour will be dark orange. And if the hen eats more of barley and wheat then the yolk color will be lighter.

Myth 3: All brown eggs are desi eggs and are more nutritious.

All brown eggs are definitely not desi eggs, so watch out. Many times eggs are dipped in tea water and given the brown tint so that they can be passed on as brown eggs. And color of the eggshell has no relation to nutrition. Nutritional value of eggs do not change with color, shape or size.

Myth 4: Double yolked eggs are unhealthy and should be avoided

There are many superstitions around double yolks in an egg. While in some parts of the world, it is supposed to bring good fortune, and somewhere it is a warning of death. But double yolks in an egg are a result of hyperactive ovaries. It is because the hen has ovulated twice in succession. It is like a twin pregnancy that happens in humans as well.

Myth 5: Storing eggs for future consumption

It is important to maintain the temperature of the place where the eggs are stored. Unrefrigerated eggs can be kept for 7-10 days while refrigerated eggs can be stored for even a month. But ideally, the shelf life of refrigerated eggs is considered for about three weeks. It is the best to refrigerate eggs after buying them or keeping them under lower temperatures. Refrigeration reduces the risk of salmonella.

Myth 6: Which egg is healthy- organic, desi or the conventional?

The quality of eggs is dependent on what the hen ate. Conventional eggs from hens are a result of a fixed diet they hen has been fed. Many farms do not use antibiotics and rely on natural and herbal medication and claim them as organic eggs. But eggs do not become organic only because of this. The hen has to be fed organic feed too. The desi eggs come from hens who have not been given a particular diet as in layer farms and have roamed around freely feeding on what they like. Irrespective to the name tag, eggs are a nutrition house and consumption of conventional eggs is equally beneficial to the body.

So as the jingle goes, “Sunday ho ya Monday, roz khao ande ( Be it Sunday or Monday, eat eggs any day)”. Indulge in this power food to your heart’s content now. Happy eating!

 

31 thoughts on “The eggs that you eat – Myths and facts”

  1. Tha k you so much for this useful article oon myths related to chicken and eggs. Please keep sharing such articles.. cheers…

  2. Thank you so much for this useful article on myths related to chicken and eggs. Please keep sharing such articles.. cheers…

  3. We always thought that brown eggs are much more nutritious than normal white eggs.
    Even spend more money on those. But thanks to article for breaking our myth and give us the real fact.

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