What's the 411 on Eggs?

Eggs are an inexpensive source of protein, having all 9 essential amino acids commonly referred to as a "complete" protein. Nutritionally, one egg, has about 78 calories, 6 g of PRO, 1 of CHO, 5 g of Fat. Curious about why bodybuilders love egg whites? Egg whites have 3.6 g of protein opposed to the egg yolks having 2.7 g of protein. But personally, egg yolks have just as much nutritional value as they are a good source of Vitamin D and still a source of protein.  

When you crack open an egg, ever wonder what that white stringy strand is attached to the egg yolk and egg white is? It's called the chalazae anchor and this strand tells us that the egg is super duper fresh! Cool, right?!

I love eggs in almost every meal. It's such a diverse food item that you can also have as a snack and they are easy to carry around in your lunch bag.

Now, let’s talk about egg food safety - as the food safety girl in me needs to come out! So, be cautious of raw or undercooked eggs as they may contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella. Please make sure to wash your hands after cracking them open. Also, to clean & disinfect cooking surfaces that raw eggs may have touched. Ensure to cook eggs until they are nice and firm or until an internal temperature of 165'F has been reached. 

In Canada, you can buy eggs in the stores' cooler whereas in other countries, you may see them sold at room temperature on a shelf. The difference is that in Canada, we pasteurize our eggs to meet Graded Canada A (or Grade A) which reduces the bacteria count & other microorganisms. The other countries don't use this step in their processes, so, you will find them stored at room temperature on a shelf. In Canada, purchase eggs that are stored and kept in refrigerator/cooler temperatures at 0'C to 4'C and when you bring them home, store in the refrigerator as well. Remove any cracked and/or dirty eggs from the container.

Enjoy eggs at breakfast, scrambled, poached, or basted. Personally, I would not eat eggs raw, that is just my preference. Did you know, when eating raw eggs, our body only absorbs 51% of the protein, as opposed to having them cooked, where 90% of protein is absorbed in our bodies?  So, cook them to your liking or boil them and have them ready for your upcoming weekly meals and add them to your lunch salads or make an egg salad sandwich. Have them for family dinners like making a quiche or frittata for supper...enjoy & love those eggs! 
Photo from Pexels.