Eggs are an excellent source of protein; however, many recipes damage its nutritional properties by improper cooking or by adding unhealthy ingredients. To ensure you have healthy egg dishes, you need to prepare them in a way that doesn't waste valuable substances and avoid unhealthy fats. You can also accompany them with nutritionally rich side dishes, such as vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Make healthy food choices by avoiding cheeses and not overcooking eggs.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Choose Healthy Cooking Techniques
Step 1. Cook hard-boiled eggs
By boiling them you can protect the yolk nutrients from the oxidation process; it is also a healthy variant for a meal or snack. Simply put the egg in a pot of boiling water and remove it as soon as it has reached the desired degree of doneness. Depending on the type of stove, it takes 3-6 minutes to get a soft-boiled egg, but if you prefer it very hard you have to wait 10 to 15 minutes.
- This dish is perfect for breakfast and makes a great ingredient for many types of salads.
- Hard-boiled eggs go very well with potato salads.
- You can add them to a mixed salad with chicken, bacon, olives and many other ingredients of your taste.
Step 2. Make a poached egg
This is another healthy cooking technique. Simply break an egg into a shallow pan in which you are simmering some water and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes. You can decide to incorporate 15-30 ml of vinegar to allow the egg to firm evenly.
- To avoid salmonella infections, you should always choose fresh eggs for this preparation; to evaluate the degree of freshness, put them in a bowl of water; if they are fresh, they should stay at the bottom, otherwise they may float or stay in mid-water.
- Poached eggs are excellent for breakfast, especially in the "Benedict" variant.
Step 3. Bake them in the oven
If you want to minimize the doses of oil, this type of preparation is for you; Place the eggs in a greased or non-stick pan, add other healthy ingredients and bake for 10-15 minutes at 165 ° C. This method allows you to minimize the unhealthy fats you would consume through cooking oils.
- To improve overall health, opt for a non-stick roasting dish, otherwise you are forced to add extra calories by greasing, buttering, or sprinkling the top with ghee.
- Shakshuka is a healthy, baked dish typical of North Africa and the Middle East.
Step 4. Fry them with healthy oils
If you really like fried eggs, opt for oils instead of butter; clarified can be a healthier alternative to regular or margarine. If you don't mind its taste, you can also use a small amount of coconut oil to fry the eggs, because it doesn't oxidize at high temperatures.
Consider using a non-stick pan to limit the amount of fat needed
Method 2 of 3: Serve the Eggs with Healthy Side Dishes
Step 1. Increase the amount of vegetables
If you want to spice up egg dishes, consider adding more vegetables. Onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, peppers and avocados improve their flavor and enrich their nutritional value; you can use raw vegetables to prepare an omelette or consume them as a side dish.
- Mexican salsa is a great option that adds a lot to the flavor of the eggs.
- Make simple scrambled eggs with lots of vegetables by adding spinach, sweet peppers and diced onion; the ingredients all cook together to create a nutritious and delicious meal.
Step 2. Choose lean meats
Instead of serving eggs with meats high in saturated fat, opt for ones that are healthy sources of protein; turkey bacon or chicken sausages are good alternatives to pork, although they can contain a lot of sodium. You can also remove the fattest parts of the cut of meat to make it healthier.
- For example, if you want to make a mixed salad, consider using turkey bacon instead of traditional bacon.
- As a general rule, try to limit the amount of sausages you consume; make an effort not to eat more than two slices of bacon or two small sausages for breakfast.
Step 3. Eat whole grains
If you are looking for healthy carbohydrates to go with eggs, opt for this type of cereal. Rice and quinoa help you feel full and are a healthy source of energy that sustains you throughout the day.
- You can also consider consuming Essene bread made from sprouts of wheat, barley, oats, millet, rye, or brown rice. this food provides some protein and is often low in calories.
- Try cooking a quinoa and egg dish in the oven for healthy protein and carbohydrates.
Method 3 of 3: Making Healthy Choices
Step 1. Do not overcook the eggs
The more you expose them to heat, the more likely they are to disperse valuable nutrients. Depending on the method of preparation, the cooking time required may vary.
- A fried egg is ready in 2-5 minutes, depending on how much liquid you want the yolk to be;
- To cook one in a shirt it takes about 3 minutes;
- Baked eggs are cooked in 10-15 minutes;
- Hard-boiled ones require a cooking time varying between 5 and 15 minutes, depending on your personal preferences.
Step 2. Reduce the amount of cheese you go with the eggs
In order not to consume unhealthy saturated fats, you must avoid dishes that contain a lot of dairy products; opt for cheese substitutes, such as non-active yeast or avocados, to flavor dishes.
If you have decided to use cheese, limit the serving to 30g per serving
Step 3. Don't eat the yolk
If you want to reduce the amount of fat and calories you consume, avoid the red part, which has the most energy content; separate the egg whites and cook only the latter.
- However, not eating the yolk means losing several important vitamins and minerals; There is some evidence that this part of the egg contains substances that help control body weight.
- You can also buy pre-separated egg whites at the grocery store.
Step 4. Reduce the risk of food poisoning
By eating raw eggs you can get salmonellosis; keep them in the refrigerator at a temperature of 4 ° C and buy them only at shops and supermarkets that store them in the refrigerated compartments.
- When you prepare them, heat them until the yolk and egg white are both firm and have an internal temperature of 70 ° C.
- Do not leave egg preparations or the eggs themselves in the heat or at room temperature for more than an hour.
- Wash your hands and any surfaces or cutlery that have come into contact with the raw ones.
- Throw them away if they are broken or dirty.
- Make sure that the eggs and their derivatives you buy are pasteurized.
