Humans have been eating eggs for an estimated 6 million years. Sure, 6 million years ago eating eggs came with the extra thrill of sneaking up to the nest, snatching up breakfast, and then hightailing it out of there as fast as possible. Kind of gives a new meaning to taking food to go.
Though the thrills of egg snatching may be long gone with our ancestors, even nowadays the average homo sapiens americana is buying and eating approximately 280 eggs each year. That’s no yolk.
So what makes eggs so edible?
The perfect food
It’s quite possible that eggs are the perfect food. For example. Healthline describes eggs as “the healthiest food on the planet.” This is because eggs are packed with:
Vitamins B12, B2, B5, which are essential to helping your body process nutrients, and Vitamin A, which is needed for vision, cell growth, and reproduction.
Selenium, which prevents against cell damage and reduces the risk of disease, calcium and other essential minerals.
Eggs provide choline, a key brain food that protects against major diseases like heart disease.
Essential amino acids that are vital to the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and repair damaged tissue.
Eggs are also one of the highest quality sources of protein. Proteins are the workhorses of the cellular system because they provide the complex capabilities to repair and grow cells.
It’s no wonder that people in the know refer to eggs as “nature’s multivitamin.”
And so delicious
It’s no wonder humans are drawn to eat so many eggs considering that with all those nutrients they just feel good in your belly! But still, what exactly makes them so yummy delicious?
The main reason eggs are so yummy delicious is because they are truly a 2-in-1 powerhouse of taste and texture, like nature’s little lunchbox. The yolk is the star of the show and brings all the creamy goodness because it contains nearly all of the fat in the egg and importantly, all the water-soluble minerals and vitamins.
For this reason, whole eggs have been found to have more health benefits than eating egg whites, including a study which showed that after working out young men who consumed wholes eggs versus only egg whites, built and repaired muscle more quickly.
Egg yolks are creamy because they contain lipids and proteins. Lipids are fats, and proteins have densely coiled structures that adds to the creamy texture.
Egg whites, on the other hand, are almost ninety percent water but that last percent is packed with proteins. Because they contain all 9 amino acids, egg whites, like meats, are considered a complete protein. One again, the egg shows off its inherent completeness.
EGG White: You complete me!
EGG Yolk: Let’s stay in tonight.
When you heat up egg whites, their densely wound proteins unfurl, trapping the water around them inside. This is what gives egg whites their sleek consistency. If you cook egg whites for too long or at too high of a heat, the protein becomes stiff and dry, shrinking and pushing the water out, which then evaporates.
But, if you cook the egg white and egg yolk low and slow, then the egg’s naturally balanced perfection will be achieved. Thanks to incredible balance of proteins, lipids, and nutrients.
So, people eat egg whites when they want to get a lot of protein and no fat or cholesterol. But studies like the one I mentioned have shown that for certain things like building muscle it’s equally important to have the vitamins, minerals, and fats that are only found in the yolks.
Bottom line: the densely structured protein combined with the creamy fat is the perfect balance of nutritious goodness. But like most great teams, each member shines pretty brightly on their own. Put them together though, and you have something incredible. And very edible.
So if eggs are so goshdarn delicious, we should probably consider the best ways to cook eggs.
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