Dr. Zheko Naychov graduated in medicine in Sofia in 2006. He started working as an intern in the clinic of cardiac and vascular surgery at Lozenets Hospital, where he still works today. In 2009 he went to Japan as a full-time doctoral student in the Department of Surgery at the University of Hiroshima, where he defended his doctorate. After returning to Bulgaria in 2013, he became a part-time assistant at the Department of Surgery at the Medical Faculty of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Participates in various educational and research projects in Bulgaria and abroad. Outside of the field of surgery, his research interests are related to research on the healing properties of various medicinal plants.
Every week, Dr. Naychov answers questions from standartnews.com readers. The Easter for the family of Eastern Orthodox Christians just passed and we share this article about the Easter eggs.
• If you do not have allergies or specific diseases, relax it a bit
• Avoid the use of raw, interfere with an important vitamin
Whether we are fasting or not, we are all looking forward to the festive Easter table, where eggs have a special place. Much can be said about the religious and philosophical symbolism of the Easter egg, of the egg in general, or of which comes first: it or the hen. What I intend to do is focus on the health aspects of its consumption.
Since ancient times, eggs have been one of the most affordable sources of complete protein
In the traditional Bulgarian village, even the poorest people raised at least one or two chickens in the yard. The wealthier, who had more meat on the table, could not afford to eat it every day. In our time, when meat is often cheaper than vegetables, it is difficult to imagine, but in times when there were no refrigerators, the slaughter of an animal was a serious action, suggesting a clear plan for what will happen to meat, so as not to spoil. While with eggs it was just the opposite – the hens lay regularly and it is even advisable to eat the produce on time, because otherwise it will be wasted. It would not be an exaggeration to say that in our lands, along with wheat and dairy products, eggs have always been a staple food.
They are first and foremost an extremely valuable source of protein. The very word for protein in Bulgarian comes from the name of part of the egg – the protein. It is the closest in composition to the so-called. reference protein – a theoretical “ideal protein” in which the ratio of its constituent amino acids best meets the needs of the human body. In addition, eggs contain almost all the necessary vitamins
and minerals, as well as a moderate amount of fat, with almost no carbohydrates. That is why they are widely recommended in fitness diets.
Of course, it is not possible that something is so good and there are no downsides. The main disadvantages of eggs are the following.
Probably the most frightening of all is the high cholesterol content in the yolk. When elevated blood cholesterol levels proved to be a risk factor for developing atherosclerosis, eggs were immediately branded harmful. At the time, it was thought that the level of cholesterol in the blood depended directly on food, and we outright forbade patients to eat eggs. It took a long time before it was proven that this was not the case. Undoubtedly, there is a relationship, but it is not as strong as previously thought.
Today we know for sure that one egg a day does not affect the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in Caucasians and even reduces this risk in Asians. As for larger quantities, the data from the studies are rather contradictory. The main problem with this type of research on the relationship between nutrition and disease comes from the fact that people who tend to take more care of themselves are also willing to pay attention to the fashion recommendations for healthy eating.
Declare a food healthy now and you will find that in twenty years, research will really prove it as such. Why? Well, because people who care more about their health will start eating it. They will live longer and be healthier than those who do not pay much attention to themselves, not because they have eaten the praised food, but because they have taken better care of themselves overall. And it will be very, very difficult to prove what the contribution of this particular factor really is.
Something similar happens with the consumption of eggs. When trying to study their effects on heart health, scientists inevitably face the fact that people who eat more eggs, at the same time overeat, tend to take fewer drugs and are more obese. Then prove what exactly is the reason for their increased incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Another thing we need to pay attention to when it comes to the consumption of eggs is their effect on the already diseased gallbladder.
People with such problems should avoid eggs and I communicate this to everyone else. Those affected know it without anyone telling them, and avoid eggs because they are immediately tempted to feel serious discomfort.
Of course, people with egg allergies should not eat them either.
Finally, food poisoning is on the rise. Unfortunately, there is not much to do with them, except to pay attention to the origin of the eggs we eat. Whoever happens to come across infected eggs, the feeling is unpleasant, but rarely lead to more serious complications. The main cause is salmonella. The problem is that the toxin it releases is neither taste nor smell and is not destroyed by high temperatures. That is, if you come across Salmonella-infected eggs, even if you boil or cook them in another way, the bacteria will die, but the toxin they produce while they are alive will remain and cause us considerable trouble when we swallow it.
From everything we have seen so far, we have not focused only on the consumption of raw eggs. In short, avoid it. The reasons for this are as follows. First and foremost, due to its high nutritional value, eggs are a great environment for the development of all kinds of microbes
And even if they do not have the already mentioned salmonella, raw eggs and foods prepared with them can be a source of other infections. It is no coincidence that mayonnaise, ice cream and other foods traditionally made with raw eggs are now made with egg powder. It is treated and properly sterilized so that it does not pose a health risk.
The other reason why it is good to avoid raw eggs requires a little more detailed explanation. One of the proteins contained in eggs is called avidin and has a very high affinity for vitamin H.
Both substances form a healthy complex so that the vitamin cannot be absorbed by the human body. Daily consumption of raw eggs can lead to a deficiency of this vitamin in the body. During heat treatment, avidin loses its properties and can no longer interfere with the absorption of vitamin H.
After all, Easter is once a year, and especially if you’re not in the habit of over-consuming eggs for the rest of the year, I don’t see anything wrong with letting it end a bit and pleasing yourself. As long as you do not have specific reasons to avoid eggs and do not overdo them regularly, there is no point in depriving yourself of this tasty and complete source of nutrients and energy.
