25 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know about Eggs

Eggs have had a controversial past. Not too long ago, they were considered a source of cholesterol and salmonella outbreaks. But today, they’re recognized as a superfood.

This superfood is good for more than just an omelette. There are tons of fascinating benefits and interesting facts about your favorite breakfast staple.

1. Eggs are an excellent source of calcium and protein, but they’re also full of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin.
2. Eggs are among a list of foods that have the best protein quality.
3. Most people think that it’s best to eat only egg whites because of the yolk’s high level of cholesterol. However, the yolk has most of the nutritional elements, and it contains lecithin, which neutralizes the cholesterol levels.
4. An eggshell is mostly made of calcium carbonate, and ingesting it can help prevent and treat osteoporosis. But you don’t have to chew on an eggshell. Purchase eggshell powder or make your own calcium supplement: Boil eggshells and mix them in a coffee grinder until they’re powder.
5. You can also put eggshells in your coffee. Boiling them with the coffee beans can reduce the acidity and bitterness in your cup o’ joe.
6. Eggshells can also help your teeth. Teeth and eggshells are both made of calcium, and when eggshell powder is used on the teeth, it can help remineralize teeth and prevent caries.
7. Eggshells can also be used to soothe aching joints. Put eggshell pieces and apple cider vinegar in a jar for two days. When rubbed on the joints, the solution eases soreness thanks to the eggshell’s collagen, chondroitin, glucosamine and hyaluronic acid content.
8. Eggshells are great as fertilizer. Sprinkle them in your garden for pest control and seed starters.
9. You can use eggshells around the house as drain cleaner and household abrasive.
10. When you’re not sure about the freshness of your eggs, place them in a bowl with enough water to cover them. Eggs that sink to the bottom are fresh; ones that float are not. Choose an older egg if you want hard-boiled eggs, because it will be easier to peel.
11. You can determine the freshness of an egg also by the color of the egg white. Cloudy means it’s fresh, clear indicates it’s aging, and pink or iridescent tell you to throw it away.  
12. The brown or red specks you sometimes see in the egg come from the rupture of blood vessels in the yolk. It doesn’t indicate that the egg is spoiled.
13. Some chickens are fed with fish oil or flax oil to make omega-3 enriched eggs. The former, though, gives eggs a fishy taste.
14. The color of the egg yolk varies depending on what chickens are fed. The more pigment their food has, the darker the color of the yolk.
15. The size of the egg depends on the age and weight of the hen. Old hens produce larger eggs than younger ones.
16. Shell color is just a matter of breed. Most chickens produce white or medium-brown eggs. You can also find eggs in more unusual colors like cream, blue, blue-green and dark brown.
17. It takes 24–26 hours to produce an egg.
18. Although there are some exceptions, most chickens produce eggs for two years. However, with each year, their production decreases by 10–15%. Depending on the breed, chickens lay anywhere between one and seven eggs weekly.
19. Usually, the first egg is produced when a chicken is 20 weeks old.
20. On average, a chicken lays 270–320 eggs annually.
21. Eggs have a protective coating to prevent bacteria from getting inside. Washing it cleans the shell but also removes the coating. The eggs you find at the supermarket are usually power-washed, but a synthetic coating is applied to protect them. Ideally, eggs should be washed just before use.
22. You have unlimited cooking options with eggs since they are part of most food recipes.
23. Global egg consumption has increased and continues to be on the rise. Latin Americans are the largest consumers of eggs, followed by Chinese, Japanese, Americans and Europeans.
24. China is the biggest egg supplier in the world. The US comes second, producing approximately four times less.
25. China shocked the world when it started producing artificial eggs.

All in all, eggs are a nutritious and inexpensive meal — and household product.