Eggs are, without doubt, one of the most widely consumed foods in the world. Versatile, cheap and packed with nutritional value, they can be prepared in many different ways, and one of the most popular methods is to boil them. However, despite their simplicity, achieving perfect cooking is not always an easy task. The question of how long you should boil an egg for has generated a great deal of debate.
Recently, a group of researchers in Italy has found the best way to boil an egg to achieve the perfect consistency in both the white and the yolk. This study has not only resolved many doubts about the most appropriate technique, but has also revealed that the key to perfectly cooked eggs lies in an unconventional method that involves alternating between hot and cold water during cooking.
The time an egg should boil for
The team of researchers from the University of Naples, led by Dr. Emilia Di Lorenzo, has unveiled a new technique for cooking eggs to perfection. Published in the journal Communications Engineering, the study proposes a cooking method that moves away from the traditional method of boiling eggs for a fixed time. According to the researchers, the difference lies in alternating different temperatures to achieve more precise and controlled cooking.
The process consists of boiling the eggs in water at 100°C for a particularity: every two minutes, the egg must be transferred to a bowl of water at 30°C. This procedure is repeated for 32 minutes, alternating between hot and cold water. The reason behind this approach is to ensure that the white remains firm while achieving a creamy and gelatinous yolk texture, instead of the liquid or completely solid consistency obtained with traditional methods.
The results, according to the researchers, are surprising and offer a much more balanced cooking, in which each part of the yolk has the same consistency, without being neither liquid nor overcooked.
Cooking temperature
The key to this revolutionary method lies in the way in which the cooking temperature is controlled. Dr. Di Lorenzoexplains that, in a conventionally cooked egg, the temperature of the white reaches 60°C, while the yolk takes longer to reach a uniform temperature, causing it to cook unevenly. In contrast, with the technique in which different temperatures are alerted, the yolk has a much more homogeneous texture.
In addition, the study reveals that this process also has health benefits, as yolks cooked in this way contain more essential micronutrients. According to the researchers, this method allows the nutrients to remain intact and more accessible to the body, making this egg not only tastier, but also more nutritious.
Health benefits
Eating eggs, especially when cooked properly, offers a variety of health benefits, and the new cooking technique proposed by Italian researchers could even enhance these benefits. Although they are known to be an excellent source of high-quality protein, they also have other essential nutrients that play an important role in various bodily functions:
- Egg protein contains all the essential amino acids that the body needs, making them an excellent food for muscle growth, cell repair and the maintenance of healthy skin, hair and nails.
- Eggs are rich in various essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, folic acid, iron and zinc. Vitamin B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system and red blood cell production, while vitamin D contributes to bone health and immune function.
- Eggs are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that is fundamental for brain health. Choline plays a key role in the formation of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that aids memory and cognitive function. In addition, choline has been shown to be crucial during pregnancy for fetal brain development.
- One of the most valuable nutrients present in eggs is the antioxidant lutein, which is directly related to eye health. This compound helps protect the eyes from age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
- Moderate consumption of eggs can be beneficial for cardiovascular health due to their content of healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids, especially in omega-3 enriched eggs. These fatty acids are known to help reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular health.
In short, the health benefits of eating boiled eggs are numerous and range from supporting eye health to improving brain function and heart health.
