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Eggs are a good source of several nutrients, especially protein. Eggs come in different sizes and grades. See the following lists of nutrients, sizes, and grades. Nature put a very healthy food in a small package. Look at the list above to see nutrients that you get when you eat eggs. Please note that eggs can be white, brown, or other colors. The color of the shell is determined by the variety of the chicken. No matter what the color of the shell, the nutrients inside the egg are the same. Eggs also contain both saturated and unsaturated fats. Eggs, in reasonable amounts, can and should be included in a healthy diet.
When you purchase eggs in the grocery store you can buy them in different sizes. The size is written on the outside of the carton and is determined by the minimum weight per dozen. The following shows the minimum weight per dozen eggs for each size.
Another size of eggs is "pee wee." Pee wee eggs are very small and not usually found in a grocery store. When you have a recipe that calls for eggs, and the size of the egg is not mentioned, it automatically means that you use a large egg.
The grade of the egg is also found on the carton. The grade refers to the quality of the egg. When a Grade AA egg is opened and put on a plate, the white and yolk will cover only a small area and the yolk will stand up high. This is the highest quality. A Grade A egg will cover a moderate area and the yolk will also stand up quite high. With a Grade B egg, the white and the yolk are thinner. Both Grade AA and Grade A eggs are good for cooking where appearance is important, like a poached egg, or for any general cooking. Grade B eggs are better used for baking. The grade of the egg and the size of the egg are not related. You could have a jumbo egg that is Grade B or a small egg that is Grade AA. Most eggs purchased in the grocery stores are Grade AA.
Notice that there are actually two whites. They are the thick white and the thin white. The fresher the egg, the more thick the white. The chalazae are the protein strands that help to hold the yolk in place. Notice the air space at the large end of the egg. The air space gets larger as the egg gets older. When the egg is stored, the air space should be at the top. The egg is packed in the egg carton with the pointed end down, and that is the way that it should stay to help the egg stay fresh longer.
Eggs are usually purchased in cartons of twelve or a dozen. These cartons are designed to protect the eggs. When you return home from the store, put the eggs quickly into the refrigerator because eggs can deteriorate rapidly. They should always be stored in the refrigerator. If eggs are stored properly they can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks. Do not purchase eggs from a stand where they are sitting in the sun and not kept cold. Keep eggs in the original carton in the refrigerator. Eggs can absorb odors from other foods in the refrigerator, and this carton keeps them covered and well cushioned. Before you purchase eggs, open the carton and check them. Be sure the eggs have no cracks. A cracked egg can be contaminated with bacteria. Be sure also that the eggs are clean.
Eggs can be hard cooked or soft cooked. They can also be fried in a pan with a small amount of butter or oil. Scrambled eggs, poached eggs, and omelets are also delicious ways to prepare an egg. It is important to remember that eggs will get tough when they are cooked at very high temperatures, so keep your burner on low to medium.
Eggs are an important part of many recipes. Not only do they provide nutrition, but eggs serve other functions in recipes. They can serve as a binder to hold other ingredients together. An example of eggs being a binder might be in a meat loaf where they hold the other ingredients together. Eggs can also be a thickener as in cooked puddings. When foods like chicken are to have a coating like bread crumbs put on them, dipping them in eggs first helps the coating to stay on. In mayonnaise, eggs serve as an emulsifier. This means that the eggs keep the oil droplets suspended in the water-based liquids. Egg whites can be beaten, and they make foods, like angel food cake, fluffy and light. Just remember that fats will inhibit the formation of fluffy peaks. When gathering egg whites to beat them, be sure that none of the yolk gets into the bowl. The bowl must be totally clean and not have any trace of fat in it. When beating egg whites, there are three stages, and these stages are foam, soft peaks, and stiff peaks. You will need to read the recipe carefully to be sure which stage is required. Foam requires the least amount of beating and stiff peaks the most. Soft peaks is in the middle. Eggs are a versatile food.
When you purchase eggs in the grocery store you can buy them in different sizes. The size is written on the outside of the carton and is determined by the minimum weight per dozen. The following shows the minimum weight per dozen eggs for each size.
Another size of eggs is "pee wee." Pee wee eggs are very small and not usually found in a grocery store. When you have a recipe that calls for eggs, and the size of the egg is not mentioned, it automatically means that you use a large egg.
The grade of the egg is also found on the carton. The grade refers to the quality of the egg. When a Grade AA egg is opened and put on a plate, the white and yolk will cover only a small area and the yolk will stand up high. This is the highest quality. A Grade A egg will cover a moderate area and the yolk will also stand up quite high. With a Grade B egg, the white and the yolk are thinner. Both Grade AA and Grade A eggs are good for cooking where appearance is important, like a poached egg, or for any general cooking. Grade B eggs are better used for baking. The grade of the egg and the size of the egg are not related. You could have a jumbo egg that is Grade B or a small egg that is Grade AA. Most eggs purchased in the grocery stores are Grade AA.
Notice that there are actually two whites. They are the thick white and the thin white. The fresher the egg, the more thick the white. The chalazae are the protein strands that help to hold the yolk in place. Notice the air space at the large end of the egg. The air space gets larger as the egg gets older. When the egg is stored, the air space should be at the top. The egg is packed in the egg carton with the pointed end down, and that is the way that it should stay to help the egg stay fresh longer.
Eggs are usually purchased in cartons of twelve or a dozen. These cartons are designed to protect the eggs. When you return home from the store, put the eggs quickly into the refrigerator because eggs can deteriorate rapidly. They should always be stored in the refrigerator. If eggs are stored properly they can be kept in the refrigerator for several weeks. Do not purchase eggs from a stand where they are sitting in the sun and not kept cold. Keep eggs in the original carton in the refrigerator. Eggs can absorb odors from other foods in the refrigerator, and this carton keeps them covered and well cushioned. Before you purchase eggs, open the carton and check them. Be sure the eggs have no cracks. A cracked egg can be contaminated with bacteria. Be sure also that the eggs are clean.
Eggs can be hard cooked or soft cooked. They can also be fried in a pan with a small amount of butter or oil. Scrambled eggs, poached eggs, and omelets are also delicious ways to prepare an egg. It is important to remember that eggs will get tough when they are cooked at very high temperatures, so keep your burner on low to medium.
Eggs are an important part of many recipes. Not only do they provide nutrition, but eggs serve other functions in recipes. They can serve as a binder to hold other ingredients together. An example of eggs being a binder might be in a meat loaf where they hold the other ingredients together. Eggs can also be a thickener as in cooked puddings. When foods like chicken are to have a coating like bread crumbs put on them, dipping them in eggs first helps the coating to stay on. In mayonnaise, eggs serve as an emulsifier. This means that the eggs keep the oil droplets suspended in the water-based liquids. Egg whites can be beaten, and they make foods, like angel food cake, fluffy and light. Just remember that fats will inhibit the formation of fluffy peaks. When gathering egg whites to beat them, be sure that none of the yolk gets into the bowl. The bowl must be totally clean and not have any trace of fat in it. When beating egg whites, there are three stages, and these stages are foam, soft peaks, and stiff peaks. You will need to read the recipe carefully to be sure which stage is required. Foam requires the least amount of beating and stiff peaks the most. Soft peaks is in the middle. Eggs are a versatile food.