All About Eggs or Ande | Get to Know the Chicken Egg or Anda

The chicken probably was domesticated for its eggs (from jungle fowl native to tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia and Indian subcontinent) before 7500 BCE.

Chickens were brought to Sumer and Egypt by 1500 BCE, and arrived in Greece around 800 BCE, where the quail had been the primary source of eggs.

In ancient Rome, eggs were preserved using a number of methods and meals often started with an egg course. The Romans crushed the shells in their plates to prevent evil spirits from hiding there.

In the Middle Ages, eggs were forbidden during Lent because of their richness.

Egg scrambled with acidic fruit juices were popular in France in the seventeenth century; this may have been the origin of lemon curd.

The dried egg industry developed in the nineteenth century, before the rise of the frozen egg industry.

In 1878, a company in St. Louis, Missouri started to transform egg yolk and egg white into a light-brown, meal-like substance by using a drying process.

The production of dried eggs significantly expanded during World War II, for use by the United States Armed Forces and its allies.

The most commonly used bird eggs are those from the chicken, duck, and goose eggs. Smaller eggs, such as quail eggs, are used occasionally as a gourmet ingredient in Western countries.

Eggs are a common everyday food in many parts of Asia, such as China and Thailand, with Asian production providing 59 percent of the world total in 2013.

Eggs are Tamasic. Ayurveda does not recommend eating eggs because it aggravates the physical and emotional fierceness.

Rasa (Taste): Madhura (Sweet)
Guna (Qualities): Guru (Heavy), Snigdha (Unctuous, Oily)
Veerya (Potency): Ushna (Hot)
Vipaka (Taste conversion after digestion): Madhura (Sweet)
Karma (Actions): The egg white is Vata, Pitta and Kapha balancing. The yolk is Pitta and Kapha increasing and Vata reducing.

This means that egg whites are good for all types and the yolk (or complete egg) is good for Vata types.

While it’s true that just one large egg yolk has 200 mg of cholesterol -making it one of the richest sources of dietary cholesterol – eggs also contain additional nutrients that may help lower the risk for heart disease. Barring food, they also have several other uses.

• Delicious alone eggs, whether scrambled, boiled, poached or fried, are also an essential ingredient for chefs, bakers and ice cream makers.
• You can create an edible paint for decorating biscuits before baking by mixing egg yolks with water and brightly colored foods.
• Egg yolks are mixed with water or olive oil to create a rich hair conditioner.
• Adding crushed eggshells to your compost will greatly increase the calcium content and make your soil richer.
• Calcium from eggshells can also help seeds to grow. When using eggs, try to break them in half to create two mini bowls. Then, fill them with soil and add the seeds.
• If you crumble eggshells and sprinkle them on your plants or soil, you can deter pests such as snails and slugs.
• Adding crushed shells to soapy water create a natural abrasive cleaner to use on pots and pans.
• After boiling or poaching your eggs – let the water cool and water your plants with it to give some extra nutrients.

Egg taste different as per the way cooked. Boiled, fried, scrambled or omelette are some of the ways to “cook” (process) an egg and all of these have multiple variations.

Browning a fried egg or an omelette also changes its taste due to the Maillard reaction, which creates colour and gives the egg a slightly nutty flavour.

Raw eggs tend to taste fairly bland, but those who are more sensitive may find them overpowering.

The egg yolk is mostly fats, so it’s taste will be a bit buttery, very creamy and will have a smooth mouthfeel.

There is no recommended limit on how many eggs people should eat. Previously, the advice was to eat not more than 1 or 2 whole eggs per week. The reason was a high amount of cholesterol in egg yolks.

But it was found out later the more of cholesterol you eat, the less your body produces. For this reason, eating a few eggs won’t cause a high rise in cholesterol levels.

1. Eggs add structure to baked goods – Eggs in a cake recipe help link the flour molecules to the other ingredients, contributing to the formation of the final product.
2. Eggs add texture and fluffiness – The structure from beaten whites also leavens the recipes you use them in.
3. Eggs keep baked goods more delicate – When added to baked goods, the fat from yolks shortens the recipe gluten strands, yielding a more delicate, wholesome result.
4. Proteins in eggs hold the moisture – The proteins found in both the yolks and whites also contribute to holding moisture from the yolks in the finished goods.
5. Eggs wash help adding a shiny finish – An egg wash repels excess moisture while giving the loaf a shiny finish.
6. Anytime meal – Eggs are relished by most of us, which can be cooked in varied styles and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even a brunch.
7. Any form meal – Eggs prepared in any form be it poached, boiled, omelette and scrambled contains all the vital nutrients which are crucial for maintaining the body fit.

Fortunately, there are plenty of replacements you can use instead of eggs. These substitutes include:

1. Nut butters – Like peanut, cashew or almond butter can also be used to substitute eggs in most recipes. To replace one egg, use 3 tablespoons (60 grams) of nut butter.
2. Silken tofu – Process silken tofu in a blender until completely smooth and creamy, leaving no graininess or chunks. Use as an egg substitute in your recipes.
3. Flaxseeds – Grind the flaxseeds in a coffee grinder and mix with water. Allow it to rest till it becomes gelatinous, then use.
4. Melted margarine works as well as an egg wash as a glaze.
5. Pureed fruit or vegetables – Some options are applesauce, mashed banana/ avocado, pureed sweet potato/ pumpkin/ prune. Use 1/4 Cup + 1 tsp baking powder per egg.
6. Cornstarch/ Arrowroot flour/ Soy protein powder. You can use 2 tsp + 2 tsp Water.

Cook eggs until the whites and yolks have solidified, to prevent food-borne illness. Egg dishes should reach an internal temperature of 160°F. If using recipes for raw or undercooked eggs, use pasteurized eggs that are heat-treated to destroy bacteria.

Boiled eggs – Hard-boiled eggs are cooked in their shells in a pot of boiling water for 6–10 minutes, depending on how well cooked you want the yolk to be.

Poached eggs – Poaching is done in slightly cooler water. Eggs are cracked into a pot of simmering water between 160–180°F (71–82°C) and cooked for 2.5–3 minutes.

Fried eggs – For this the eggs are cracked into a hot pan that contains a thin layer of cooking fat.

You can then cook them “sunny side up,” which means the egg is fried on one side, or “over easy,” which means the egg is fried on both sides.

Baked eggs – Baked eggs are cooked in a hot oven in a flat-bottomed dish until the egg is set.

Scrambled eggs – Eggs are beaten in a bowl, poured into a hot pan, and stirred over low heat until they scrambled.

An omelette –  To make an omelet, eggs are beaten, poured into a hot pan, and cooked slowly over low heat until they’re set.

Note: Don’t allow cooked eggs or egg dishes to sit at room temperature for longer than two hours.

The egg is considered as nature’s most perfect food containing excellent source of protein of high biological value.

An egg or anda has a high ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, and is an excellent source of minerals and all the vitamins.

An egg or anda is made up of the following parts, out of which the yolk and albumen is consumed.

• The shell is the hard covering that encases all the eggs contents. It is made primarily of calcium carbonate.
• Immediately after the shell are two membranes, the outer membrane and the inner membrane.
• At the large end of the egg there is a pocket of air.
• Vitelline yolk membrane is clear and thin and contains the yolk, when punctured the yolk loses its round shape.
• Yolk is the yellow part inside  the egg that contains the minerals, vitamins, fat, and protein.
• Albumen or white is a clear thin liquid that surrounds the vitelline membrane. It helps provide another layer of protection and protein to the yolk.

Fresh eggs will always be available in the produce section. You’ll find them classified as per normal or organic and in cartons of different sizes.

Check the spice aisle for egg powder and even dehydrated eggs.

Buy an egg or anda products on Amazon: India | USA

Look for a sell-by date on egg cartons; the eggs will generally last for four to six weeks after this date.

The best way to keep eggs is to store them in their original carton in the refrigerator as soon as possible. Cartons reduce water loss & protect flavours from other foods being absorbed into eggs.

Eggs are kept in the carton with the bulbous end on top for a reason. This keeps the yolk centered inside, which protects it from breaking.

Keep the egg carton in the central shelf in the refrigerator for better preserving eggs. This allows them to maintain a more consistent temperature.

Leftover raw egg whites and yolks should be put in airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator immediately.

To prevent yolks from drying out, cover them with a little cold water and drain it before you use them.

When storing hard boiled eggs, you may notice a “gassy” or hydrogen sulphide odour in your refrigerator.  This forms when eggs are cooked. It is harmless and usually dissipates in a few hours.

It is possible to determine a bad egg simply by smelling it. Bad eggs will emit a slight sulfur smell that warns you something isn’t right. Or! you can perform an egg floating test.

The Egg Floating Test

Through this simple egg floating test, you’ll observe that fresh eggs sink while bad eggs float to the top.

Simply fill a bowl with cold tap water and place the eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat.

A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base. Any floating eggs should be thrown out.

Eggs or ande are loaded with 13 essential vitamins and minerals, eggs also provide key sources of these important nutrients that are needed as part of a healthy diet to help you be your best, every day.

Read on to find out about the health benefits of egg or health benefits of anda:

1. Health benefits of eggs for nutrition – Eggs contain useful amounts of vitamins A, D, E, B2, B5, B12, as well as iron, iodine, selenium and phosphorus – all vital nutrients in supporting your healthy, balanced diet.
2. Health benefits of anda for protein – Eggs are widely considered to be a perfect protein source. Proteins are the building blocks of life, essential for the strength and repair of muscle and tissue.
3. Health benefits of an eggs for good cholesterol – Eggs help increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels – or “good” cholesterol as it’s commonly known – and this is one reason why eggs have been found to have little to no effect on heart disease risk.
4. Health benefits of anda for choline – Eggs are a rich source of choline providing more than double the amount of choline per 100g than any other commonly eaten food.  This makes eggs a highly effective and simple means of meeting your daily nutritional intake. Choline is an important nutrient that is made in the liver. Choline reduces cognitive decline in the elderly. It plays an significant role in brain and spinal cord development during pregnancy & cognitive development in infants.
5. Health benefits of an eggs for omega-3 – Eggs are mother nature’s incredible and edible source of Omega-3 fatty acids, providing on average, 180mg per serve (2 eggs).
6. Health benefits of anda for eyecare – Eggs contain a range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E and selenium which all act as important antioxidants in supporting eye health, retina function and helping counteract degenerative vision as you age.
7. Health benefits of an eggs for mental health – The combination of Vitamin B2, B12, choline, iron and tryptophan are all associated with helping reduce the risk of anxiety, symptoms of depression and naturally aiding sleep.

Generally, eggs are a very healthy food that can be incorporated into a daily diet, however, eating too much of anything is a bad thing, and this includes eggs.

If you eat a bad egg, you are at higher risk of exposure to bacteria that can cause food poisoning, such as Salmonella and E. coli.

If you already have a cardiovascular condition or type 2 diabetes, it’s best to cut back on your egg consumption.

Higher consumption of dietary cholesterol or eggs has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Eggs (poultry eggs) have been part of our diets since the dawning of time.

Yet only now are we learning the full extent of the nutritional wonders ande pack, and how beneficial they are in promoting lasting health benefits.

Loaded with 13 essential vitamins and minerals, an egg or anda also provides key sources of these important nutrients that are needed as part of a healthy diet to help you be your best.

Breakfast eggs recipes can be more than just scrambled eggs on toast.

You can bake them into muffins or bread, use them to make fritters or omelettes, or serve them up with greens for an ultra-healthy start to the day.

Eggs also provide that missing element in your lunch or dinner, pulling your meal together into a perfect nutritional feast during or at the end of the day.

Eggs can also take you across oceans and lifetimes to different places and cultures. They are eaten ubiquitously and can be a part of whatever deliciousness, you want to have at any time of the day.

This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition/s.

GoSumItUp.com has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but offers no warranty as to its accuracy or its use in any possible form.

Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of any medical condition/s. For more details please refer to our disclosure policy.