DESCRIPTION
Eggs are rich in nutrients and easily digested. They have valuable therapeutic properties with external and internal applications.
FOOD USES
The white of eggs act on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract and may help in the treatment of digestive ailments.
Egg white, whisked to a froth with a drop of vinegar or milk, makes a soothing face mask.
Whisked egg white also provides relief for diaper rash, and sore, cracked nipples.
Egg yolk makes an excellent tonic for the hair and can be used in both shampoos and conditioners.
DATA FILE
Properties
Eggs are an excellent source of protein, 8 vitamins (thiamine and riboflavin), vitamin D, vitamin A, and the minerals calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and iron. About 74 percent of the weight of an egg is water. Most of the nutrients are in the yolk, although the white does contain thiamine. An egg provides twice as much fat as it does protein and almost the maximum amount of cholesterol that is currently recommended for daily consumption.
Special notes
- Under certain circumstances eggs can cause salmonella poisoning.
- A significant number of people, particularly children, may develop an allergy to eggs. Symptoms of an adverse reaction include swollen eyes and lips, abdominal pain, nausea and subsequent vomiting, and skin reactions.
- Viruses grown in egg culture to make vaccines can occasionally cause an allergic reaction.
- The iron in eggs is more easily made available to the body if foods containing vitamin C – such as orange or grapefruit juice – are eaten with the egg.
- To relieve the irritation of chilblains, make a paste with egg white, honey, and flour; smear over the chilblains and cover with a clean bandage.
Contraindications
- If any of the above symptoms occur after eating eggs, seek medical attention immediately. Should similar symptoms occur following vaccination for mumps, measles, or flu, you should also seek immediate medical advice.
- Pregnant women, elderly and ill people should avoid eating raw eggs. Because of the high cholesterol content of eggs, people with a history of heart disease should confine their consumption of eggs to the whites only, or restrict their consumption to two or three whole eggs a week.
