Somos un milagro de la química

Abstract

To affirm that the egg is an almost perfect food is not a utopia, is the transcript of a real knowledge of each and every one of its nutrients. This is due to its high bioavailability in relation to other food nutrients and some of its nutritive elements, such as amino acids, that have an almost perfect balance in the egg. Of the three main parts of the egg, only the white and yolk are relevant to food and nutrition. White mainly contains clear water (88%) and proteins, to albumin corresponds the greatest importance. In the yolk, 50% is water, dividing evenly the rest in protein and fat. A very small fraction corresponds to different substances, no less important for nutrition and health. The egg compared to other foods allows us to emphasize the micronutrients, especially fat soluble vitamins coverage K, D and A, the soluble B2, B12 and folate, between minerals selenium and phosphorus. Furthermore, the contribution of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) per gram of protein is much more favorable than in meat and would only be overtaken by the fish.

The possible role of the egg as food and functional ingredient should be justified by the presence of certain compounds that have been identified as physiologically active and potentially beneficial effects, which can be quantified. In fact, it is not only to highlight the positive effect for the maintenance and promotion of health and the preventive effect against certain diseases, components that have always been present in many foods in our diet, but not been clearly identified or quantified. If we look at the list of substances that could be considered potentially functional (IFIC, 1999), we can indicate as potential compounds that would be remarkable in the egg the followings: carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin E and PUFA n-3 (DHA and EPA, especially) also the hill.