Let’s talk about the egg-citing world of eggs! Eggs are an egg-cellent addition to our diets thanks to their nutrient content and versatility in cooking. Packed with 13 different vitamins and nutrients in each serving, eggs are one of the healthiest foods you can eat. So, let’s give it up for the egg-ceptional egg!
The Humble Egg
There are many different types of eggs to choose from. let’s break down the different options so you can choose the egg that’s right for you.
Bird eggs are the most eaten, including chicken, duck, goose and quail eggs. Fish eggs are a common ingredient in some cultures in the form of fish roe or caviar and in some countries crocodile and octopus eggs are also a popular delicacy.
Chicken eggs are the most common type of egg eaten across the globe. Even the simple chicken egg has many different varieties to choose form including:
Free Range Eggs: Free range eggs come from hens with access to the outdoors. They may spend nights inside sheds for their own protection, but laws require regular access to an outdoor range during the day where they are free to roam.
Pasture Raised Eggs: Pasture raised eggs are similar to free ranged eggs, however, usually this indicates less chickens in the same space and more and grazeable plant species for the hens.
Caged Eggs: Caged eggs come from hens housed inside cages within protective sheds without access to the outdoors. These eggs make up approximately 40% of egg sales in Australia.
Barn Laid or Cage Free Eggs: These eggs come from hens that live in sheds, however, the hens are free to roam the shed without cages.
Organic Eggs: This title ensures the eggs have been produced without the use of any chemicals.
Omega-3 Enriched Eggs: This indicates the addition of fish oil and/or oilseed supplements to the hens diet which increases the levels of omega-3 in the produced eggs.
Vitamin-D Enriched Eggs: All eggs are a good source of vitamin D, however, these eggs come from hens with a higher level of vitamin D in their diet which increased the vitamin D in their eggs.
Eggs can also differ in the colour of their shell. Most eggs in Australia are cased in a brown shell, with white being the second most common. This variation comes from the colour of the hen with brown hens laying brown eggs and white hens laying white eggs. There is no different in their nutritional value or in the health of the hens.
Eggs and Nutrition
Eggs are a perfect protein source. They contain all nine essential amino acids needed to meet your body’s needs. Plus they’re a natural source of key nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamins A, D, E, and B12, antioxidants, and choline.
Eggs contain essential nutrients for the healthy growth and development of children and are one of the most nutritious foods a woman can consume during pregnancy. As we know, malnutrition rates are high in Aged Care. With eggs being a fantastic source of protein, it is a great idea to fortify foods with eggs and provide high energy high protein snacks with eggs, like zucchini slice or frittata.
The Egg-straordinary Ways We Can Use Eggs
Eggs can be cooked and eaten in a variety of different ways depending on your preferences. Here are just some of the different ways you can prepare eggs:
Boiled eggs
Boiled eggs can be eaten on their own, used to dip bread into the soft yolk, chopped up and added into salads or sandwiches. How long you boil the egg for will determine if the egg is still runny or solid.
5-6 minutes: set white and runny yolk – perfect for dipping into.
7 minutes: almost set.
8 minutes: softly set.
10 minutes: the classic hard-boiled egg.
Scrambled eggs
Scrambled eggs are great on their own or as a toast topper.
To prepare scrambled eggs you’ll need to:
Crack your desired number of eggs into a bowl, 2 per person is usually a good serve.
In the same bowl add 1tbsp of milk and salt and pepper to taste.
Combine the mixture with a whisk or fork.
Heat a fry pan over low heat and add a small amount of butter or oil to prevent sticking.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and leave to set for 30-60 seconds.
Using a spatula, gently pull the eggs from the edges of the pan towards the centre and tilt the pan to move the runny egg mixture to the available space.
Repeat this step until all the egg mixture is set.
Remove from heat are serve!
You can further customise your eggs by swapping out the pepper for other dried herbs and spices such as paprika, parsley, or chilli flakes.
Quiche muffins
Quiche muffins are a perfect way to use up left over veggies and a great on the go snack or breakfast option. Quiche muffins are fully customisable to your preferences. All you need to do to prepare them is:
In a large bowl combine eggs, finely chopped vegetables (e.g. onion, capsicum, tomato, pumpkin, etc.) and any seasoning of your choice e.g. salt and pepper. You can also increase the protein content by adding a source of finely chopped meat.
Once you’ve added all your ingredients to a bowl, combine the mixture well.
Separate your mixture into a muffin tray.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 8-12 minutes, once you can insert a skewer and have it come out clean the muffins are ready.
Eggs are also used in sauces such as mayonnaise or hollandaise, and they’re used to add structure and moisture to things like cakes and cookies.
Egg-ceptions
While eggs are a wonderful addition to our diets there are some things to keep in mind.
For most healthy people, 1-2 eggs per day can make up part of a nutritionally balanced diet, however, for individuals with high cholesterol limiting egg into to no more than 7 eggs in a week is recommended.
Some people add raw eggs to drinks such as smoothies to increase the protein content. Due to the risk of salmonella, raw eggs should be avoided by children, the elderly, and pregnant women. Aged care homes do not allow for raw eggs in recipes.
Due to the risk of salmonella it is also always a good idea to wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water after cracking eggs to prevent the spread of any potential bacteria. Read more about food safety around eggs here.
Many childcare centres and some schools are egg free due to the commonality of egg allergies in children. Also be sure to check with your child’s school to find out their policy before sending eggs in your child’s lunch box.
We’ll crack you up
Our team of Dietitians are your go-to source for all things nutrition, and provide a range of services to Aged Care homes and Childcare Centres to help residents and children meet their requirements as well as through our clinic. Be sure to subscribe our website to get regular updates and inspiration.
For more tailored information, reach out to our team today.