Egg: The Only Perfect Food with a Shell

Ah, the good ol’ egg. We all know it and we all love it. Except for those who are allergic, vegetarian, or simply weirded out by the idea of eating unhatched chickens. But we don’t talk about them.

The egg is truly one of nature’s miracles. It’s a self-contained meal that comes in a convenient, protective shell. Talk about being an overachiever. Sure, other animals lay eggs too, but they’re not as versatile as the chicken egg. Plus, when was the last time you had a quail omelette or a duck egg frittata? Exactly.

Let’s start with the basics. What is an egg? An egg is a reproductive cell laid by a female animal, usually a bird or a reptile. It’s made up of a yolk, which is rich in nutrients and fat, and a white, which is mostly protein. The eggshell is made of calcium carbonate, which means it’s basically like eating rocks. Yum.

But why do we love eggs so much? It’s partly because they’re cheap, easy to cook, and can be prepared in countless ways. You can fry them, scramble them, poach them, bake them, boil them…the possibilities are endless. You can eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack. You can even decorate them and hide them for kids to find on Easter. Try doing that with a carrot.

Eggs are also a fantastic source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing muscles. So if you want to be as strong as an ox, eat more eggs. Unless, of course, you’re a vegan, in which case you’re already strong from all that kale you’ve been eating.

Now, some people might be afraid of eggs because they contain cholesterol. But the truth is, dietary cholesterol doesn’t have as big an impact on your blood cholesterol as we once thought. So go ahead and have that eggs Benedict. Just maybe skip the Hollandaise sauce if you’re watching your calories. Or don’t, because you only live once.

Of course, there are some downsides to eggs. They can be a pain to peel when hard-boiled. They can also cause some, ahem, digestive issues if you eat too many at once. And if you’re a salmonella-phobe, you might want to avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs (sorry, no cookie dough for you).

But let’s not dwell on the negatives. Eggs are truly a gift from the culinary gods. So whether you like them scrambled, fried, or baked into a cake, let’s all raise our forks and give a big Thanks for Eggs!