What is in an egg

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Eggs are perhaps the most famous food. We eat mainly chicken (rarely goose) eggs, but eggs of all birds that exist in nature are suitable for eating. Some peoples eat exotic food for us. Eggs of turtles and tarantulas, for example, are considered a special delicacy. We will not dive into the delights of gourmets, but we will talk about the composition of the chicken egg that is familiar to us. After all, this product has considerable nutritional value for our body.

Egg chemistry

Any egg consists of a protein part and a yolk. Egg white is 90% water, and the remaining 10% is protein. The yolk also contains proteins and, in addition to them, fats and cholesterol. For example, a well-boiled egg contains 10.6 grams of fat, 12.6 grams of protein, and 424 milligrams of cholesterol.

Chicken egg, protein composition:

Protein contains:

• water - 85 percent;
• fats - 0.4 percent;
• protein - 12.7 percent;
• carbohydrates - 0.6 percent;
• the rest is glucose, enzymes and B vitamins.

Chicken protein ingredients:

• 54% - ovalbumin predominant in the product, which was the very first (isolated in 1889) element;
• 12-13% is conalbumin (ovotransferrin). It has antibacterial properties, and when combined with lysozyme (which is also found in the egg), this effect is greatly enhanced;
• 3, 3-3, 5% is lysozyme. One of the fairly well-known and commercially used components of the egg. Discovered in 1922 and used as a bacteriolytic enzyme;
• 2-3, 5% - Ovomucin;
• 2% - ovoglobulins.

Egg composition - yolk

It accounts for about 33% of the liquid composition of the product. The yolk contains approximately 60 calories. This is 3 times more than in protein.

The yolk contains the following fatty acids:

1. Polyunsaturated acids.
2. Monounsaturated acids.
3. Saturated acids:

• linoleic - 16%;
• linolenic - 3%;
• oleic - 47%;
• myristic - 1%;
• palmitic - 23%;
• palmitoleic - 5%;
• stearic - 4%.

Nutritional value of the product

According to nutritionists, in terms of nutritional value, a chicken egg almost catches up with black and red caviar. It is equivalent to a medium-sized piece of beef or a glass of milk. In addition, the egg is an independent and balanced food product, which means that the percentage of its absorption by the body reaches 98%. True, with a small caveat - you need to cook the eggs soft-boiled, then they will retain all their useful properties. All disputes about harm and benefiteggs in the bulk are reduced to the content of cholesterol in them. It is known that its overabundance causes significant harm to he alth. However, in small quantities, it is indispensable for the functioning of blood vessels and the heart. Its daily norm is 300 mg.

Raw eggs

Some people probably don't know that you can't eat a lot of raw eggs, as the substance that is part of the chicken egg (trypsin inhibitor) greatly slows down the digestion process. But in boiled it is no longer there, since at 70 degrees it is completely destroyed. Therefore, thermally processed eggs can be eaten without fear.

So, as we have seen, the composition of the egg is very complex and diverse. Its components are essential elements for a balanced diet. Only those people who are allergic to it will have to refuse to take this valuable food product.