They are foods rich in valuable proteins, minerals, vitamins and low in calories (if cooking is not wrong …). No ban for those with high cholesterol, but consumption must be moderate
one of the most versatile foods, excellent alone or as an ingredient for its emulsifying power. Present on Easter menus and more: Italians like egg. According to the latest report by the Institute of Services for the Agricultural Food Market (Ismea), in 2020 the national consumption was 13.8 kilos per person, each Italian eats in total about 219 eggs per year.
L’chicken egg, the most common, contains almost exclusively proteins of high biological value, rich in almost all essential amino acids, some fat and cholesterol. Carbohydrates and sugars are very few, he explains Laura Rossi, nutritionist and researcher of the Council for Research in Agriculture and the analysis of the agricultural economy (CREA Alimenti e Nutrrizione). The most present vitamins are A, D, K and those of group B, and among the minerals iron, phosphorus and calcium stand out.
Can anyone with hypercholesterolemia eat them?
Cholesterol is all in the yolk: that of hen, for example, has 179 mg per 50 g, the weight of an average egg. We shouldn’t eat more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. Yet, unless otherwise indicated by the specialist, 2 chicken eggs per week, including those present in the recipes, are recommended for everyone. Young people and those who do a lot of sport can get up to 3-4 per week if they do not suffer from hypercholesterolemia. To affect blood cholesterol, in fact, especially the endogenous one, that is, that we self-produce. The cholesterol contained in food has a limited effect. This is not to say that you shouldn’t be careful about what you eat. Those who suffer from hypercholesterolemia must keep all sources of cholesterol under control, but keep in mind that the “bad” (Ldl) one is in particular some saturated fatty acids present in meat, cured meats and cheeses and less in eggs. These particular fatty acids, such as lauric acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid, are the main contributors to the increase in atherosclerosis, one of the causes of cardiovascular diseases.
Even that of quail now widespread in supermarkets.
Compared to that of hen, the protein level is better and the fats are lower, the disadvantage that it has double the cholesterol. It weighs less than half of a classic egg which corresponds to 4-5 of quail. Size also affects cooking times.
Less common in stores but available online or from breeders are duck, goose and turkey eggs. How do they differ?
There are no major nutritional differences. The duck egg, for example, has a very large yolk and since the lipids are in this part it is no coincidence that it is richer in cholesterol. The edible part is the same, 87-88 g, so one of these eggs is equivalent to about two average hen. In South Africa the ostrich egg which corresponds to about 23 of a hen is widespread, also this can be found by our breeders.
What are the most common mistakes in cooking it?
Egg is low in calories. The mistake of turning it into a high fat source. Parties aside, one thing is to eat a hard-boiled egg seasoned with a drizzle of oil and vinegar. Another choice is the omelette cooked in a lot of oil, fried egg in a pan, hard-boiled eggs accompanied by spoons of mayonnaise, omelette filled with cheese and cold cuts. The egg has its own flavor so there is no need to enrich it with all these fats and seasonings.
And the one with the white shell?
It has no particular nutritional characteristics. The color depends on the breed of the hen that lacks the gene responsible for the coloring of the shell. Nutrition also affects the color of the shell and yolk. For example, the addition of carotene, the precursor of vitamin A naturally present in orange vegetables and fruits, to the feed makes the so-called yellow-fleshed eggs more colorful. This is why they are used to give intense color to homemade pasta and custard. There are also those who supplement their feed with goji berries, flax seeds or hemp. They don’t make a real difference on a nutritional level because the bioactive compounds found in eggs are present in small quantities. And the fish eggs? They are a completely different food, they don’t even have the same biological meaning. The amounts of protein and fat come from fish. Now there is also the vegan egg … an ultra-ultra-processed product, rich in vegetable proteins because it is almost always obtained from legumes, in particular soy or beans. There is no cholesterol because it is a fat of animal origin only and not of vegetable origin. Of the egg, however, it has only the appearance and flavor that comes from the addition of aromas.
April 27, 2022 (change April 27, 2022 | 11:46)
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