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Eggs are pretty much the perfect food.

A large egg has approximately 71 calories, 5 grams of fat, less than 1 gram of carbohydrates and approximately 10 grams of high-quality protein.

They contain many nutrients that you need in your diet including vitamins A, several B’s, D, E & K.  They also have phosphorus, selenium, calcium, zinc and choline.

Cracking an egg opens up 2 very distinct inner parts, the egg white, called albumin and the yellow egg yolk.

The egg white acts as a protective cover for the yolk and makes up the majority of the egg’s total weight. The yolk makes up about 30% of the egg’s total weight, contains about 80% of the egg’s total calories and contains almost all of the fats in the egg. The yolk is the main source of nutrition for the developing embryo.

Egg Whites

Egg whites are:

• low in calories
• low in fat
• richer in protein than egg yolks

Egg yolks

Egg yolks contain more vitamins than egg whites.   As well, vitamin A, D, E and K are found only in egg yolks and not in egg whites.

Of note, 90 percent of an egg’s calcium and 93 percent of its iron content is in the yolk.

Here are a few other interesting facts about eggs

Brown vs. White Shells

An egg’s shell colour has nothing to do with its nutritional value.  It is due to the breed of the hen that laid it. Hens with white feathers tend to lay white eggs and hens with red feathers tend to lay brown eggs.

What the Yolk Colour Means

Diet determines the colour of the egg yolk.  If the yolk is a dark yellow colour the hen was probably fed green vegetables. A medium-yellow yolk is likely a diet of corn and alfalfa.  A light-yellow yolk could be the result of eating wheat and barley.

Why shells stick more with fresh hard-boiled eggs than with older ones

If you use fresh eggs to make hard-boiled eggs, they are harder to peel than older eggs.  In fresh eggs, the egg white tends to stick to the inner shell membrane due to the less acidic environment of the egg than in an older egg.

As an egg ages, the egg shell becomes porous, absorbs more air, and releases some of its carbon dioxide. This makes the albumen more acidic, causing it to stick less to the inner membrane. The egg white also shrinks a bit, so the air space between the eggshell and the membrane grows larger, resulting in boiled eggs that are easier to peel.

For ideal peeling, use eggs that are 7 to 10 days old.

Hard-boiled eggs are a great way to eat eggs.  You can make them in bulk and they are handy-dandy portable.

How to Make the Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

1. Add eggs to your pot and cover with water
2. Bring to a boil
3. Once the water is boiling, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 20 minutes
4. Drain and cover with cold water until eggs are cooled off

 

References:

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-amazing-facts-about-eggs-you-need-know.html

http://www.differencebetween.info/difference-between-egg-white-and-yolk

https://www.livestrong.com/article/526471-what-are-the-benefits-of-egg-yolks/

https://www.popsugar.com/food/Why-Fresh-Eggs-Difficult-Peel-When-Hard-Boiled-7429332