How to know if an egg is bad: the best tricks

An egg can be kept in good condition for about three weeks. after laying, but it is better to consume them as soon as possible. To know if an egg is bad there is a trick simple: submerge it in water with 10% salt. we tell you how to know if the egg is bad and how long does it have according to how the egg floats in this water:

If the fresh egg. The one that stays stuck to the bottom, horizontal, is fresh.If the egg is one week old. If it stays on the bottom but tilts, you have a week.If the egg is two or three weeks old. If it rests vertically on its pointed pole, two or three weeks.if the egg is bad. If the egg floats it is better to discard it. The older an egg is, the larger its inner air chamber and the lower its weight. iStock

Other tricks to know if an egg is bad

Other issues that can be attended to know if you should throw an egg:

If the bud is broken or smelly. Once the egg is cracked, the yolk must be slightly domed and the white must be stuck. The more undifferentiated and runny the white, the less fresh the egg. For safety, it is advisable to throw away those with a broken yolk or those that smell bad.Lumps are a good sign. Small red or white lumps do not affect the flavor or quality of the egg. On the contrary, they are signs of freshness. If they bother you, they can be removed with the tip of a knife.If the shell is cracked. Salmonella, the bacterium responsible for severe food poisoning, is found in the egg shell, which is why it is convenient to discard the cracked ones.

Remember that the eggs should be kept in the least cold part of the refrigerator, out of their packaging and with the tip facing down so that the air chamber is on top and protects the egg.

Is the egg bad for health?

Although vegans or strict vegetarians choose not to eat eggs, They do it for various reasons that have nothing to do with their nutritional value. And it is that the egg It is one of the oldest and most nutritious foods used as a culinary ingredient.

Egg proteins have the property of solidifying with heat. It’s known that the romans developed a culinary preparation based on beaten eggs (ovorum cake) that they seasoned with bacon, herbs or cheese.

The chicken egg is a highly protein and vital food which was formerly indicated at convalescent people to facilitate their recovery. Two medium eggs cover a third of the daily protein needs.

It is also about type of protein that the body uses best thanks to the fact that its proportion of essential amino acids is the closest to that of the human body.

The reason why babies are given the egg it later possible (from the year) is for prevent allergic reactions because of that protein similarity.

Apart from providing proteins of high biological quality, the egg provides vitamins A, B1, B2, E, D, K and B12 (essential for the nervous system).

Specifically, two eggs cover 68% of the daily needs for vitamin K, 33% of those of phosphorus and seleniumand 27% of those of iron.

Just It lacks carbohydrates (which is why it is accompanied by bread), fiber and vitamin C.

The egg is good for growth because it strengthens the bones and musclesbut it is not recommended for children under two years of age, for people with a weakened liver or for those who suffer from rheumatism.

Are eggs bad for cholesterol?

The egg is also a notable source of fat (12%) and cholesterol (600 mg/100 g), both concentrated in the yolk. It is precisely cholesterol that has given it its bad reputation.

But it should be remembered that cholesterol is necessarythat It is produced by the body itself and can be “good” or “bad” depending on the proteins with which it travels in the blood.

The one linked to low-density lipoproteins or LDLknown as “bad cholesterol”, is one of the factors of risk of coronary diseases. But in other lipoproteins, HDL, is the so-called “good cholesterol.”

Only a quarter of cholesterol in the blood comes from foodTherefore, if the diet is rich in fiber and vitamins, and low in saturated fat animal products, even a regular intake of eggs may have little effect on blood cholesterol.

The egg also provides choline, a compound responsible for driving cholesterol into the bloodstream. and metabolize fats.

For all this, the most recent studies defend the nutritional value of the egg and its moderate incidence in the increase in cholesterolemia in healthy people.

In any case, it is still recommended moderate consumption. Today Western dietetics considers 3-5 eggs per week to be recommended, although the latest indications highlight that there is no risk in a healthy person and the WHO has come to recommend increasing its consumption up to one egg a day.