Madsen Pirie

I’ve covered some foods such as cheeseburgers and fish and chips that might not be as bad for you as their reputation suggests, but what about eggs?  They’ve been thought bad because they are high in cholesterol.  One large egg has about 183mg of cholesterol, mostly in the yoke, and the recommended daily average is 300mg for a healthy person.  So two eggs takes you over the limit.  Opinion has changed on this, however, since studies show minimal link between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol; it’s not how the body works.

Eggs are good nutrition, being rich in iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins A, D and B2, and very high in protein.  Medical opinion seems to favour the idea that the health benefits far outweigh any risks (which include type 2 diabetes), but there are cautions about eating under-cooked eggs which might contain salmonella.  Some health authorities tell us to eat only eggs that are cooked through, and to beware of any foods that might contain raw or runny eggs.

I live dangerously, according to some of this.  I eat my boiled eggs with the white hard and the yolk runny, and it’s one of the few dishes I add salt to.  My poached eggs have to have soft yolks.  I like fried eggs spooned, that is sunny side up with the yolk soft, but with hot fat spooned over it to give it a film on top.  And I like my omelets runny in the middle.  The only time I seem to have them fully cooked is in scrambled eggs and quiches.  As you might gather, I like eggs…

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