There are many who like eggs and they may be surprised to know that there are many who don’t like eggs. Excluding those who cannot eat eggs because of certain health conditions, there isn’t any reason to walk away from the small white wonder but then there are certain negative attributes of eggs that you should be aware of.
There are certain subjective aspects of eating boiled eggs. You may not like them. Scrambled eggs or eggs prepared with different kinds of cheese and special recipes are more popular. But boiled eggs are easy to make, they can be an integral part of your breakfast or any meal, they can be a quick snack and there are all the nutritional reasons to consume boiled eggs.
Egg is a super food and you must not discard its benefits. But you should also know the demerits of boiled eggs. Here is a factual assessment of the pros and cons of boiled eggs. You may decide whether or not to consume boiled eggs after exploring the facts.
List of Pros of Boiled Eggs
1. High In Protein
Eggs are the second-most readily available source of protein, after milk. If you are lactose intolerant then you may want to satiate your protein requirements with boiled eggs. Many people are vegetarian but eat eggs. Not to draw any comparison on the contentious vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets but the human body needs protein.
There are many vegetables that provide some protein but animal protein is quintessential. If you don’t want to eat meat then you can always get the protein you need from boiled eggs. Whether you are a fitness enthusiast or you just wish to remain healthy, you need substantial quantum of amino acids and boiled eggs would provide you that. Milk and egg can satiate the needs of protein in the human body.
2. Rich In Calcium & Omega 3 Fatty Acids
While the protein would facilitate development of muscles, calcium would attend to the health or strength of bones and omega-3 fatty acids will have a multipronged impact. Omega 3 fatty acids can increase the level of good cholesterol in the human body. They can fight radicals and also strengthen the immune system. Eating boiled eggs would get you the most abundant supply of calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. If you are making fried eggs or scrambled eggs, then you may not get as much calcium or omega-3 fatty acids as they get broken down due to all the frying and blending of the other ingredients. For healthy teeth and bones, you should eat boiled eggs. For better levels of good cholesterol, you must consume boiled eggs.
3. Vitamins & Minerals
Eggs are rich in vitamins and minerals. And boiling doesn’t cause any harm to these nutrients. There are many people who eat raw eggs to get the nutrients in their most natural form. Eating raw eggs is not very desirable and you would know if you have ever tried it. Frying or making any kind of preparation of eggs will not get you as much minerals and vitamins as boiled eggs. Frying and blending of other ingredients do away with the vitamins and minerals or at least affect the amount. Now, boiled eggs are rich in vitamin A, vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Vitamin A will facilitate better eyesight and will help you to have strong and healthy hair. Vitamin B12 has the ability to speed up cellular regeneration which is very important. You don’t just need cell regeneration when you are old or are suffering from some condition. Cell regeneration is an exercise that the human body caters to every day. Folic acid in boiled eggs has many benefits, one of which is prevention of breast cancer. Folic acid is also very necessary for pregnant women. Boiled eggs are also rich in choline that is necessary for cognitive development.
There is a reason why kids are always given eggs and it has been a longstanding tradition in almost every society, culture and civilization. Vitamin B complex which is the group that choline is a part of helps in improving brain functions, can facilitate the development of good memory and can also prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Boiled eggs are also rich in vitamin D.
List of Cons of Boiled Eggs
1. Bacterial Infection
Eggs can cause bacterial infection if they carry salmonella. This can be easily avoided if you trust the source or know where the eggs are sourced from. You must always purchase fresh eggs and be certain that they are not contaminated in any way. Else, you may be at risk of being infected by salmonella. Not only should you avoid eating raw eggs when they are contaminated or not fresh but you should even avoid boiling such eggs. It is said that boiled eggs have very little risks in this regard as boiling will get rid of any contamination but you may not want to take that chance. Salmonella will cause food poisoning.
2. Bloating, Flatulence, Stomach Problems
Boiled eggs should be cooked well. It should not be half boiled or overcooked. Both would increase the chances of flatulence and bloating. Usually, properly boiled eggs will not cause any stomach problems but if you have a tendency to have bloating when you eat eggs then no matter which way you prepare or cook your eggs, you will have some issues.
3. 200mg Cholesterol
The yolk contains about 200mg of cholesterol. This is not threatening for kids or healthy adults but it is quite unacceptable for those who have high blood pressure, suffer from some cardiac problems or have any heart ailment and those who are diabetic or at risk of diabetes. There is a perception that leads people to believe that egg yolk would make you fat. That isn’t very accurate. It is the cholesterol that is of concern and not the calories, really.
You can always boil eggs and get rid of the yolk or just eat the whites. That will not put you in harm’s way due to the cholesterol. Remember, the whites don’t contain any cholesterol and they would only get you the proteins. Not eating the yolk will deny you some vitamins and minerals but when you are not in the best of your health, averting risks is more important than getting more benefits. Even if you do have a heart condition or are suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure, you can still eat an entire boiled egg once in a while, say once or twice a week.
4. Eating Too Many
Eating too many boiled eggs is not good. Unless you are an athlete or in a profession that will help you to burn three thousand calories or more in just a few hours, you should restrict your diet to one or two eggs at the most. Don’t pile on five boiled eggs and certainly not a dozen. Such kind of consumption will immediately raise your blood pressure and the calorie of such an intake will certainly lead to obesity eventually.
On a parting note, whenever you want to have eggs, try to have boiled eggs. They are much better than friend or scrambled eggs. Also, there are eggs in many recipes and you must avoid such foods if you have high blood pressure, are diabetic or have heart conditions.