Eggs are the ultimate breakfast food and an essential ingredient for all kinds of cooking and baking, in fact you probably have a carton of eggs in the fridge right now, but how much do you know about them? Find out more in All About Eggs!
Humans have been eating egg since before recorded history
The Chicken or the Egg?
Everyone has heard the eternal debate about what came first – the chicken or the egg, but in general you need chickens or other birds to produce the eggs we eat. Other animals, fish and reptiles lay eggs, but the ones you find in your local grocery store almost always come from chickens. Humans have been eating eggs since before the beginning of recorded history, in fact domesticated chickens could be found in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Here’s evidence: in a tomb in Thebes, Egypt there is a picture of a man carrying bowls of large eggs (probably ostrich eggs.)
A goose egg, a chicken egg and a quail egg
Eggsellent Nutrition
Eggs are popular not just because they’re easy to farm and cook, but also because they can be an “eggsellent” source of nutrition. Let’s crack open what’s inside:
- Protein
- Amino Acids
- Vitamin A, B and D
- Iron
- Calcium
- Potassium
Egg yolks have considerably more cholesterol than the whites, so people on strict diets will often have omelettes with just the egg white. Another danger with eggs is salmonella, when handled properly this shouldn’t be an issue but you should never eat eggs that have cracked before you receive them and cooking an egg thoroughly will kill any possible salmonella bacteria within (salmonella can give you food poisoning.)
Egg yolks (the yellow bit) have more cholesterol than the whites
Did You Know...
Chicken eggs aren’t the only ones that get eaten. Othe popular eggs are quail eggs, duck eggs, pheasant eggs, emu eggs, ostrich eggs and caviar (whale eggs!)
Egg Fun Facts!
- In the Middle Ages eggs were forbidden during Lent because they were rich
- Ancient Romans used to crush egg shells to keep away evil spirits
- The first egg carton was created in Smithers, British Columbia by Joseph Coyle in 1911, it was made of paper
- The word mayonnaise comes from the medieval French word for yolk “moyeu.”
- If a boiled egg is overcooked, a green ring might appear from the iron and sulfur inside
- Many people who are concerned with animal welfare only buy free range eggs, which means instead of being held in cages the hens are allowed to wander around a farm and live their lives freely.
- Fish eggs (roe) are often used in Japanese cooking
Have Your Say
Do you like eggs? Let us know in the comments section below.
