Are red-shell eggs more nutritious than white-shell eggs? Are cranberries with egg yolk more nutritious? Nutritionist reveals: 6 common myths about eggs

Egg prices have plummeted recently, with egg prices in the southern region being cheaper than in the northern region. Egg issues often surface in the media, but in addition to the price, there are many myths about eggs, such as "Are red-shell eggs more nutritious than white-shell eggs?", "More nutritious are cranberry yolks?", "Is it more nutritious to eat raw eggs?", etc. How much do you know about eggs? Nutritionist Anna Li explains 6 common myths about eggs.

6 common myths about eggs

Q1: Are red shells more nutritious than white shells?

The main difference in eggshell color lies in the breed of chicken. White-shelled eggs are mainly laid by Leghorn chickens, and there are more of them. Red-shelled eggs are laid by Isaac, Rock Island Red and other chickens, and there are fewer of them, so the price is higher, but it has nothing to do with nutrition.

Q2: Are cranberries with egg yolks more nutritious?

The color of egg yolk is related to the ingredients of feed. If the feed contains pigments such as carotene and zeaxanthin, the color of the egg yolk will be more orange, but the main nutrients such as protein will not be much different.

Q3: Is it more nutritious to eat raw eggs?

Although it is delicious to eat rice with raw eggs or to dip meat in raw egg liquid in shabu-shabu, eating raw eggs is not more nutritious. On the contrary, because raw egg whites contain avidin, it will affect the absorption of biotin (vitamin B7), and you may cause hair loss! In addition, compared with raw eggs, cooked egg whites are easier for the human body to digest and absorb, which may be why it is better to cook eggs.

The main difference in eggshell color lies in the breed of chicken. White-shelled eggs are mainly laid by Leghorn chickens, and there are more of them. Red-shelled eggs are laid by Isaac, Rock Island Red and other chickens, and there are fewer of them, so the price is higher, but it has nothing to do with nutrition.

Q4: Should I choose big eggs?

The size of the egg is related to the age of the chicken. The first laid eggs will be the smallest. As the chicken gets older, the birth canal becomes wider and the eggs will also become larger, but the shell will be thin and the quality will be affected. It is recommended to choose eggs of moderate size.

Q5: Eggs with rough shells are fresher?

The same egg may indeed become smooth due to the shedding of the cuticle over a long period of time, but a rough eggshell may also be caused by an uneven distribution of calcium in the eggshell due to the hen's illness or old age. In addition, eggs are now often washed and selected, so the roughness of the eggshell can no longer be used as an accurate criterion for freshness. To check whether the egg is fresh directly when you buy it, it is more accurate to look at the production and sales history and the production date on the packaging.

Q6: Should eggs be washed before being frozen?

If the eggs are washed, they can be directly refrigerated. If the eggs are not washed, do not rinse them with clean water unless they are to be eaten immediately. You can wipe them lightly with hand towels and put them in the refrigerator or eat them as soon as possible at room temperature to avoid damaging the protective layer on the surface of the eggs after washing, which will increase the risk of microbial contamination during storage.