Jornal Arcticle: THE "SECRECT" INSIDE THE EGG

The Reason of Eating Egg

Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have been eaten by mankind for thousands of years. Popular choices for egg consumption are chicken, duck, quail, roe, and caviar, but the egg most often consumed by humans is the chicken egg, by a wide margin. Inside the egg are contain egg white and egg yolk. Egg white consists primarily of about 90% water into which is dissolved 10% proteins and egg white contains almost no fat, and the carbohydrate content is less than 1%. Egg yolk are major source of vitamins and minerals. It contain all of the egg's fat and cholesterol, and about one-half of the protein.As an ingredient, egg yolks are an important emulsifier using in the kitchen.

Although egg color is a largely cosmetic issue, with no effect on egg quality or taste, it is a major issue in production due to regional and national preferences for specific colors, and the results of such preferences on demand. For example, in most regions of the United States, chicken eggs are generally white. In some parts of the northeast of that country, particularly New England, where a television jingle for years proclaimed "brown eggs are local eggs, and local eggs are fresh!", brown eggs are more common.

Egg are high in nutrition value for our daily needs and bring lot of benefits. Next, we discuss the reason of eating egg.

Reason 1: Convenient and easy to cook
Eggs are a staple in most homes. With eggs in the fridge, you can always make a fast, delicious and nutritious meal.It takes just minutes to fry, scramble or microwave an egg. Combine eggs with leftovers, and a little creativity, and you can prepare delicious omelettes, frittatas, scrambled eggs, quiches and more.Egg can be prepared in many different ways, so there is sure to be an egg dish to suit everyone’s taste.

Reason 2: Weight Management
The protein in eggs can help you lose weight by controlling the rate at which your body absorbs calories. A recent study compared an egg-based breakfast to a bagel-based breakfast, each containing the same number of calories. Those who ate eggs for breakfast consumed 163 fewer calories at lunch, felt less hungry and ate 418 less calories over a 24-hour period.(Layman, 2004) When managing your weight, choose foods that provide the maximum amount of nutrition for the least amount of calories. Eggs are great nutritional value for those trying to lose or maintain weight. A large egg contains 14 essential nutrients, but just 70 calories. In addition, eggs come portion-packed, making serving size easy to manage.

Reason 3: Brain Development
Eggs give us brainpower. Choline, a substance found in egg yolks, stimulates brain development and function. Choline has been recognized as an essential nutrient by Health Canada. Since it is necessary for good health, but is not produced by our body in adequate amounts, a continuous new supply must be provided by our diet. Two large eggs provide an adult with the recommended daily intake of choline.

Reason 4: Eyesight Protection
Eggs help to keep your eyes healthy. Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in egg yolks and are believed to help protect eyes against damage due to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Research has shown that these antioxidants may be very important in reducing the risk of age-related macular degeneration (the leading cause of blindness in people over age 65) as well as the risk of cataracts. Those who ate eggs daily were less likely to have cataracts than those who consumed eggs less often.(Moeller,2000)

Reason 5: Lasting Energy
Including protein-rich eggs in your meals and snacks helps sustain your energy level and curb hunger, cravings and unhealthy snacking. Protein is the most filling nutrient. It helps control the rate at which food energy (calories) is absorbed by your body. A large egg contains 6 grams of the highest quality protein found in any food. Protein is found in both the egg white and the yolk; just over half is in the white and the remainder is found in the yolk. Eat the whole egg to benefit from its full energy potential. In addition to supplying energy (calories) for your body to function, protein is essential for building and repairing tissue and keeping your body strong and healthy. Muscles, organs, skin and hair, as well as antibodies, enzymes and hormones are all made from protein. Protein also helps fight infections, keeps body fluids in balance and helps your body maintain a healthy metabolism.

Reason 6: Multivitamin 
One large egg only contains 5 grams of fat, 70 calories and packed with 14 essential nutrients which your body needs, an egg is a nutrient-dense food. Nutritionally, eating an egg is like taking a multivitamin pill. Eggs contain a lot of essential nutrients such as Choline, Folate, Iron, Lutein and Zeaxanthin, Niacin, Omega-3 fats, Protein, Riboflavin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Vitamin E and Zinc. Research shows that eating eggs every day does not significantly raise LDL (“bad” cholesterol) levels or contribute to the risk of heart disease for most healthy. The saturated and trans fats found in egg are not the dietary cholesterol, so it will not increase blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. A large egg contains only 1.5 grams saturated fat and zero trans fats. 

Reason 7: Affordable
Considering how nutritious, delicious, convenient, versatile and quick to cook eggs are, you might expect to pay more for them. The price of eggs makes them very affordable. While you can purchase higher priced specialty eggs and egg products, a carton of classic shell eggs is an inexpensive source of high-quality protein that easily provides a meal for a family of four to six or numerous meals and snacks for just one or two. In Malaysia, a normal egg only cost 35sen.



Bibliography

Layman. 2004, Protein Quantity and Quality at Levels above the RDA Improves Adult Weight Loss. J Am Coll Nutr; 23: 631-636

Moeller et al. 2000, Journal of the American College of Nutrition; (915s): 523s-527s