Is eating an egg every day healthy? ‘Vegetarians can eat a little more eggs’ | Healthy

Yes, eggs contain many nutrients. In addition to fats and proteins, they also contain iron, vitamins B12, D, A and B2, plus folic acid and minerals such as phosphorus, selenium, iron and zinc. They fit into a healthy diet. Eggs are in the Wheel of Five, but you can’t eat them unlimited. The Nutrition Center advises not to eat more than two to three eggs per week. “Because egg yolk contains cholesterol, which can cause the cholesterol level in your blood to rise slightly,” says Annette Stafleu, nutritionist at Het Voedingscentrum.

,,But saturated fat has more influence on the cholesterol level of your blood. Eggs also contain saturated fat, but not as much fat as, for example, meat and cheese. High cholesterol is bad for your heart and blood vessels. Vegetarians can eat slightly more eggs, three to four a week, because they do not ingest cholesterol through meat. Those who eat seven or more eggs a week have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

There are white and brown eggs. There are many misunderstandings about the cause of this. It is sometimes thought that white eggs come from battery hens. That is not the case, because battery cages have been banned since 2012.

The color of the egg is determined by the breed of the chicken. You can tell by the earlobes of a chicken what color eggs it lays: a chicken with white earlobes lays white eggs, while a red-brown chicken with red earlobes lays brown eggs.

Brown eggs are not healthier than white ones, nor are they more animal-friendly. However, brown eggs are more popular. Always has been, according to a study ‘Eieren: a study into buying and using habits surrounding eggs in the Netherlands’ by the Wageningse Bureau Makrotest NV. This shows that as early as 1964 housewives preferred a brown egg, because it would have a pleasant color, a better taste, a thicker shell and a larger yolk.

“A white egg is slightly more sustainable than a brown egg,” says Patricia Schutte, spokesperson for the Nutrition Center. White chickens eat less feed and lay more eggs in a year. So less feed is needed to produce more. If you have the choice between white and brown eggs with the same quality mark, it is better to choose the white egg.”

White eggs are more popular at Easter anyway, because you can dye them better.

The color of the yolk may vary. A chicken fed food with added corn or alfalfa will lay eggs with a dark yolk. Brown eggs are often larger than white ones, because the hen that lays them is often slightly larger and requires relatively more feed. As a result, brown eggs are usually more expensive than white ones.

No. A dyed egg from the store is non-toxic. A safe, harmless paint must be used for these eggs. The dye can transfer to the egg, but the amount you ingest is negligible. You can also paint the eggs yourself, with special egg paint, felt-tip pens, watercolor or finger paint. It goes without saying, but don’t use poster paint, wall paint, car paint or paint intended for painting your house. Then this is of course a risk to health,” says Wieke van der Vossen, food safety expert.

In the supermarket, the eggs are outside the refrigerator. But most people keep their eggs in the fridge anyway, at 4 degrees Celsius. That is also the best place, so they last longer. At 4 degrees, bacteria such as salmonella don’t stand a chance. Preferably keep them in the box, then they lie quietly and they dry out less quickly. Not in the refrigerator door that swings open a dozen times, then an egg shakes too much.

Because the shell is porous, the egg quickly absorbs all kinds of odors and flavors. It is therefore better not to store eggs near strong-smelling products, such as sliced ​​onions. A boiled and painted egg can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Why are they not refrigerated in the supermarket? Because they keep best when the temperature remains as even as possible, from the moment the chicken lays the egg until it’s in your shopping bag. If they were kept in the refrigerator in the supermarket, they would heat up during transport home and condensation would form more quickly. And if the egg becomes moist, the chance of bacteria formation increases.

To prevent an egg from deflating during cooking, you can poke a hole in the shell with an egg piercer on the blunt side of the egg. There are also special egg picks for sale. Put the eggs in a pan. Add enough water to cover them half way. Set the timer for hard-boiled eggs for 10 minutes. Bring the eggs to the boil with a lid on the pan. When the water with the eggs boils, turn the heat source down, otherwise the eggs may boil.

* Count on 10 minutes for a hard-boiled egg.

* Count on 8-9 minutes for half a soft-boiled egg.

* Count on 6-7 minutes for a soft-boiled egg.

Place the eggs in cold water or rinse them with cold water (scare the eggs). This makes them easier to peel and stops the cooking process. If an egg is farm-fresh, use a little baking soda in the cooking water.

If you doubt the freshness of the egg, place it in a large glass of water. If it floats, it’s not fresh. “Pay attention,” says Wieke van der Vossen, food safety expert at the Food Center. “The float test only works to test eggs for freshness. But it says nothing about the contamination with bacteria. It is not the case that an egg that is not fresh has expired. So don’t just throw the egg away. Check the shelf life on the packaging. Smell an egg that is not fresh or past its date. If it smells fine, you can still eat it. But cook or bake it well in advance. You can also use a floating egg to make a cake, savory or sweet. Throwing it away is a waste; the chicken has done its best on your egg.