Crack the code to healthier living. Mastering the soft-boiled egg

Soft-boiled eggs are often considered a healthier option compared to their hard-cooked counterparts. They're easier to digest and allow for better nutrient absorption. Learn how to master the perfect soft-boiled egg while minimizing the risk of salmonella infection.

Choosing fresh, high-quality eggs is the key to a successful soft-boiled egg. During your grocery shopping, prioritize eggs labelled with a "0" or "1"; these indicate that the egg comes from organic farming or free-range chickens, respectively. Typically, good-quality eggs are small to medium in size.

Eggs contain beneficial nutrients such as healthy fats, including omega-3 fatty acids crucial for heart health, and vitamin D, B vitamins, iron, phosphorus, and selenium. Notably, many of these nutrients are absorbed more efficiently from soft-boiled eggs. Research suggests that cooking eggs for longer than 7 minutes can reduce their nutritional value by up to 50%.

Furthermore, soft-boiled eggs are gentler on the stomach. At the same time, their hard-boiled counterparts may lead to discomfort, such as abdominal pain, burping, or bloating, due to their increased difficulty in digesting. Soft-boiled eggs generally contain fewer calories than hard-boiled ones, a consideration significant for those mindful of their diet. Importantly, the lecithin in soft-boiled eggs, which helps block the absorption of bad cholesterol, remains intact.

Let the eggs reach room temperature before cooking to prevent them from cracking when introduced to boiling water. Fill a medium-sized pot with enough water to cover the eggs, add a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice to help prevent shell cracks, and bring the water to a rolling boil.

Salmonella bacteria are eradicated at cooking temperatures above 149 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring about 4 minutes. In boiling water, however, salmonella is eliminated within seconds. Since it's challenging to identify eggs contaminated with salmonella visually, it's advisable to scald the eggshell before use, especially in recipes requiring raw eggs, such as mayonnaise or creams.