Snacking Smartly: The Health Benefits of Salted Eggs and Salted Fish Skin It is the fad that has no signs of stopping: salted eggs! It started way back in 2016 and since then, in Singapore, we have had salted egg fish skin, salted egg croissants, salted egg chips and even salted egg sauce. With the ability of manufacturers to integrate the sinfully tasty delight of an egg to almost any snack they can get their hands on, the salted egg snack fad truly has no symptoms of letting up. What is it with salted eggs? To answer that let’s dial back and explore its origins and benefits. What are salted eggs? Salted eggs are duck eggs cured in brine (that is water with lots and lots of salt) for several weeks. Duck eggs are used (instead of the more popular chicken egg) because of the texture of their shells which allows for more thorough absorption of the brine. In addition, duck eggs are tastier than chicken eggs. After being cured in brine the duck eggs develop a creamy consistency with a rich salty taste that will keep you coming back for more. Salted duck eggs by themselves are good enough to eat, and are regular snacks in households in China, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and some other Asian countries. However, combined with other popular snacks, salted eggs became a star. From croissants, in 2016, to potato chips, and even salted egg sauce and salted fish skin, the duck egg trend has no signs of dying down. What we are getting Let’s take a look and discover what we are getting with each savoury bite. Macronutrients Duck eggs contain 9 grams high-quality protein each egg. It also contains 9.6 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbohydrate. All three are energy-producing micronutrients that are very filling and aid in development of muscles, skin and hair. Vitamins
Primarily vitamins A and B12, duck eggs also contain a number of vitamins. Vitamin A is helps keep your hair healthy and helps the body produce new cells — duck eggs contain about 472 IU. Vitamin B12, on the other hand is useful for nerve health and aids red blood cells — you’re getting about 3.8 micrograms per egg. Duck eggs also contain some vitamin B complex, vitamin D and vitamin E, not bad for something that tastes sinfully good. Minerals Finally, to complete the nutrition triumvirate, we have minerals — duck eggs largely contain two: selenium and iron. Selenium, 25.5 micrograms each egg, enhances your immunity and enhances hormone production in your thyroid glands. With 2.7 milligrams of iron (which is 34% and 15% of RDI for men and women, respectively) you are sure to have oxygen-rich, energy-producing blood cells. Too much of a good thing… …is always bad — and the same is true with salted duck eggs. For starters, they contain a high amount of cholesterol, much higher than in chicken eggs. With 619 milligrams of cholesterol per egg, you consume twice of the RDI for cholesterol. Too much consumption can lead to heart-related complications. Best to limit yourself to just a single egg per day. Completing the deadly duo is its high sodium content, which should be a dead giveaway, given it is called “salted” egg. Salt is very high in sodium and excessive consumption is not good for people with high blood pressure, or for anyone for that matter. So, can’t wait to get your hands on some salted egg chips or fish skins? Remember all of the above and snack smartly!