March 23, 2009

Still the Incredible, Edible Egg

          The American Egg Board recently reintroduced their catchy slogan of “the incredible, edible egg” on their web site with a take on incredible people.  The individuals featured possess some unusual physical or mental ability.   The tie-in to eggs being, of course, that eggs also have some unusual abilities.  And, they do.

          Eggs are a very nutrient-dense food, which means they have a high proportion of nutrients to calories. One large egg has only 75 calories and provides 13 essential nutrients in varying amounts.

           Eggs are a good source of protein and riboflavin. Many of the egg’s incredible nutrients are found in the egg yolk, including folate, lutein, zeaxanthin and vitamin D.  A large-size egg supplies 12.6 percent of the recommended amount of protein an adult should consume per day.

          Other egg facts from the American Egg Board include –

            - An egg yolk gets its color from the yellow-orange plant pigments called lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to reduce the risks of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in those 65 and older.
          - The risk of an egg being contaminated with Salmonella bacteria is very low, about 1 in 20,000 eggs. But there’s no reason to take the risk of contracting foodborne illness. Proper handling of eggs can reduce, and even entirely eliminate, the risk.

            - Each of the roughly 280 million laying birds in the U.S. produces from 250 to 300 eggs a year. In total, the U.S. produces about 75 billion eggs a year, about 10% of the world supply

          -Egg size and grade are not related to one another. Size is determined by weight per dozen. Younger hens tend to lay smaller eggs. The size increases as the hen grows older and bigger. Grade refers to the quality of the shell, white and yolk and the size of the air cell.

          -Yolk color depends on the plant pigments in the hens’ feed. Natural yellow-orange substances, such as marigold petals, may be added to light-colored feed to enhance color. Artificial colors are not permitted E

          - Egg protein is both high in quality and low in cost. It’s easy to compare the price of eggs to the price of other protein foods. A dozen Large eggs weigh 1 1/2 pounds, so the price per pound of Large eggs is two-thirds of the price per dozen. For example, if Large eggs cost 90¢ per dozen, they cost 60¢ per pound. At $1.20 per dozen, Large eggs are only 80¢ per pound.          -Dates on egg cartons and all other food packaging reflect food quality, not food safety. An ‘expiration’ or ‘sell-by’ date on an egg carton tells the grocer to pull the eggs if they haven’t sold by that time. A ‘best-by’ or ‘use-by’ date tells you that your eggs will still be of high quality if you use them by that date.

-        You can keep fresh, uncooked eggs in the shell refrigerated in their cartons for at least three weeks after you bring them home, with insignificant quality loss. Properly handled and stored, eggs rarely spoil. If you keep them long enough, eggs are more likely to simply dry up. But don’t leave eggs out. They’ll age more in one day at room temperature than they will in one week in the refrigerator.

-        As an egg ages, the white becomes thinner, the yolk becomes flatter and the yolk membrane becomes weaker, making it more likely that the yolk may break inadvertently. These changes don’t have any great effect on the nutritional quality of the egg or its functional cooking properties in recipes. Appearance may be affected though. When poached or fried, the fresher the egg, the more it will hold its shape rather than spread out in the pan. On the other hand, if you hard cook eggs that are at least a week old, you’ll find them easier to peel than fresher eggs.

          For a healthy addition of vegetables as well as eggs to your diet, try this fast version of a traditional frittata.

Saucy Vegetable and Pasta Frittata

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 package (16 oz.) frozen pasta and vegetables in sauce
Water
4 eggs
1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk

          Evenly coat 10-inch omelet pan or skillet with spray. Add pasta and vegetables in sauce along with water called for on package. Over medium heat, bring to boiling. Cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 5 minutes.

In medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk until blended.

Pour over pasta/vegetable mixture. Cover. Cook over medium heat until eggs are almost set, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

          Let stand, covered, until eggs are completely set in center and no visible liquid egg remains, about 2 to 3 minutes.

          Cut into wedges to serve.