EGGS

by Dr. Lawrence Wilson

All information in this article is for educational purposes only. It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

QUICK SUMMARY

Good quality eggs are a very good food for development when eaten in moderation and cooked soft. The best eggs are from quail, chickens and turkey. Do not eat duck or goose eggs.

On the development program, men may have up to 8 chicken eggs weekly, while women may have up to 6 chicken eggs per week. More than this cause a toxin to build up in the liver.

***************

I. INTRODUCTION – GENERAL INFORMATION

On the development program, high quality eggs from free-range chickens, quail or turkey, are a very good food item. Free-range means that the chickens are free to move around and eat bugs and other things they find in the pastureland.

Eggs are inexpensive and nutritious. Whole soft-boiled eggs are also generally safe to eat in restaurants or other places where one is not sure of the safety of the food.

PREPARATION OF EGGS

Do not eat eggs raw, but do not overcook them.

Why avoid raw eggs. The reasons are:

a) Most eggs contain bacteria that is destroyed by light cooking.

b) Light cooking makes the egg warmer or more yang in macrobiotic terminology, which is excellent.

c) Light cooking does not damage the egg much. However, cooking eggs until they are hard damages the fat and the protein in the egg.

EATING EGG YOLKS

Do not just eat egg whites. The fat in the egg is of excellent quality, and needed by most people. On the development program, weight loss is easy, so avoiding egg yolks to reduce calories is silly and harmful. Cholesterol also decreases naturally on a development program, so there is no need to avoid egg yolks to reduce cholesterol.

HOW MANY?

Men may eat up to 8 chicken eggs weekly, while women may have up to 6 chicken eggs per week. Eating more than this causes the buildup of a toxin in the liver.

FRESH, CAGE-FREE, FREE-RANGE, NEST RUN OR NATURAL?

In general, the fresher the eggs, the better. At times, one can buy local eggs that were laid the day before. These are the freshest.

In general, cage-free or free-range eggs are also the best. The chickens are permitted to spend some time outside, eating bugs and other things they wish to eat to balance their diet.

NUTRITION OF EGGS

Eggs are a wonderful source of vitamin A, and eggs contain some vitamin C, vitamin D, B-complex, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids (but not enough), and much more.

The egg yolk contains a high-quality fat, and many other vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and other nutrients that are essential for our health and well-being.

Egg white contains an excellent protein (egg albumin), and also many other nutrients as well. However, the egg white is also a little toxic and contains a poison called avidin. This is one reason we limit the number of eggs to eat.

THE SAFETY OF EGGS

Eggs are naturally sealed against bacterial and viral invasion. This is a major advantage of eggs. It is still wise to cook them, but they are a lot safer than many foods.

They will also last for a week without refrigeration, which is another advantage. Therefore, providing one’s eggs are fresh enough, they are usually safe to eat.

Chlorine. Supermarket eggs are all washed in a chlorine solution. Some chlorine penetrates into the egg and is somewhat toxic. For this reason we prefer eggs directly from a farm that have not been washed.

PROCESSED EGGS

Avoid eating processed eggs, such as Egg Beaters and others. These contain oxidized cholesterol which is harmful.

Unfortunately, some restaurants use processed eggs because they are cheaper. See below for details.

EATING EGGS IN RESTAURANTS

At a restaurant, always order soft-boiled, poached or lightly fried eggs only. Do not order omelets, quiche or scrambled eggs.

The reason is that the latter can be made with processed egg products such as Egg Beaters and others. These are not nearly as good or as safe as real eggs. Hard-boiled eggs are very difficult to digest and should be avoided.

II. TYPES OF EGGS

Healthy eggs include those of chickens, quail and turkey. Here are more details:

CHICKEN EGGS

Soft boiling. If you start with cold water, soft boil an egg by putting it in cold water and turning on the stove for about 4.5 minutes. The yolk should still be soft but not liquid and the white should be somewhat cooked but not hard.

If you begin your soft boiling with boiling water, soft boil for about 2.4-2.5 minutes. A larger egg will require slightly longer cooking time.

Poaching. Use a ring or special device for poaching. If you drop an egg in cold water and then heat it up, it will take about 3-4 minutes. This depends upon the skillet or other cooking utensils you use.

Frying. Eggs will cook very quickly this way. If you drop an egg onto a hot griddle or into a hot frying pan, cook only for 10 seconds or so. Take it off the griddle while the yolk is still soft or runny.

Other. We do not recommend omelets, quiche or other use of eggs when the eggs are cooked hard. Even scrambled eggs usually get too hard. If you want to eat scrambled eggs, they should be soft and mushy.

QUAIL EGGS

Quail eggs are a very good development food, if you can find them.

Spoilage. Quail eggs spoil quickly. It is best to eat them within one week of buying them.

Serving size. A serving size for an adult is 3-5 of them as one serving.

Cooking. The easiest is to soft boil them for about 40 seconds. When cooked properly, the yolk should be runny and the white should be soft.

How to eat them. Here are two methods:

1. Break one or more quail eggs in cereal such as oatmeal or brown rice. Remove the contents and then remove the shell and throw it away. A few pieces of shell may remain, and that is fine.

2. First use a knife or other utensil to tap on the shell all around the middle of the egg to break the shell. Then use a sharp knife to cut the membrane under the shell all around the middle of the egg. Then the egg splits into two parts. Add a little sea salt use a small spoon to eat the contents.

Courses | About Dr. Wilson | The Free Basic Program