Surprising Facts About, Uses and Tips for Eggs

Eggs are a staple ingredient in my kitchen. Not only are they reasonably priced and nutritious, they are a major ingredient in all sorts of recipes.

Different weight classes

Did you know that there are six different weight classes of eggs? I certainly didn't. In addition to the extra large, large, and medium that we usually see in the grocery stores, eggs also come in Jumbo, Small, and Pee Wee. Jumbo eggs weigh 30 ounces per dozen while the pee wees are 15 ounces to the dozen.

Most recipes are based on large sized eggs. Substituting a jumbo or medium size can cause a recipe to not turn out as well as it should.

Graded by Quality

In addition to weight, eggs are also graded by quality. US Grade AA eggs have whites that are thick and firm, yolks that are round and free of defects, and clean, unbroken shells. US Grade A eggs have whites that are reasonably firm, yolks that are round and free of defects, and clean, unbroken shells. Grade A are the quality we typically find in the grocery store. US Grade B eggs have thinner white, elongated yolks, and discolored shells. These are fine for all purpose baking and cooking, but aren't good for recipes where appearance is important.

Nutrition

Eggs average about 75 calories each. They are high in protein, Vitamin A, and riboflavin. The bulk of the calories of an egg is in the yolk which averages about 60 calories. The whites are only 15 calories. The yolk contains 5 grams of total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, and 213 milligrams of cholesterol.

Eggs belong to the meat group in the Food Guide Pyramid. However, it takes 3 eggs to equal one full serving of meat, which is really more than most of us should eat in a week.

What type of chickens lay grocery store eggs

The white eggs we see in the grocery stores typically come from Leghorn chickens. Those brown eggs which look like they should be more healthy (but really aren't!) typically come from Rhode Island Reds. Both contain the exact same nutritional content, and are equally as healthy.

Egg tips