How to take egg protein correctly and how to prepare it yourself

A little about cocktails

Today, everyone is familiar with the sport of bodybuilding.
Fitness occupies a certain place in the life of almost every person. There are those who simply engage in this sport to maintain a normal physical condition or figure, and there are those who do it professionally. When talking about sports nutrition, the first thing that comes to mind is protein in its various forms. Protein, together with proteins, amino acids and other elements, are an integral part of sports nutrition. The thing is that our muscles consist of various amino acids that make up protein. Amino acids are the builder of the body's muscle tissue and antibodies, which are involved in the formation of blood cells.

Nowadays it is not so much health that has become fashionable, but rather a beautiful and athletic body. In the race for a muscular and sculpted body, as well as in the fight against excess weight, an element such as protein takes an active part.

The most acceptable type of protein, or more precisely the way to consume it, is protein shakes. In fact, it is a set of soluble proteins, as well as some extracts of beneficial herbs. Such cocktails are prepared on the basis of ready-made powder, which is simply diluted in milk or water. However, not everyone is able to buy such sports nutrition, since it costs a lot of money, and no one is responsible for the quality of such a product.

If we consider natural protein foods, then there are also some difficulties. For example, cooking such food. Preparing the amount of food that can provide the body with the required amount of protein sometimes becomes an impossible task. In addition, often a person is simply not able to consume such an amount of food.

It is for these reasons that protein shakes, prepared independently at home from natural products, have now begun to come into fashion. Such cocktails are prepared from natural products containing large amounts of proteins and fats, and do not have any additives.

Egg in a cocktail

Do's and Don'ts of Using Eggs in Cocktails.

Eggs are essentially the reproductive cells from chickens to ducks to quail, but here we'll specifically look at chicken eggs, their features, and how you should handle, store, and use eggs in cocktails.

Eggs in cocktails

Egg whites add viscosity and flavor to sour cocktails and drinks while making them taste better.

Egg whites can also add an attractive foamy head to cocktails, and the amount of foam produced can be reduced by shaking. However, raw eggs can be hazardous to your health, so you may decide it's safer to use commercially produced pasteurized egg whites, especially if you're sick or pregnant (but then you probably shouldn't drink the shake).

Unfortunately, egg whites in cocktails give off an aroma similar to dog breath or wet dog hair. This should be masked with a few drops of bitters on the frothy top of the drink. You can also add a twist of citrus zest over the drink or sprinkle with chocolate, nutmeg, or cinnamon.

Too much egg white in smoothies is unhealthy, so half the white from a medium-sized egg or 15 ml/1/2 oz pasteurized egg white is sufficient.

If using fresh eggs rather than pasteurized egg whites, you can crack the eggs and separate them into a small plastic squeeze bottle, then use it to add the egg whites to your shake.

Tip 1: Consider using an egg separator, a nifty tool that, as its name suggests, separates and holds the yolk while allowing the yolk to flow into your bowl. This helps avoid the possibility of contamination from the casing by using the casing as a release tool.

Tip 2: Shake the bottle before drinking to slightly loosen the egg whites. Refrigerate the bottle of egg white and use within 48 hours.

Like egg whites, egg yolks add texture as well as subtle flavor and rich sweetness to cocktails.

Egg yolk is essential when preparing Nogs and Flips.

Controversy surrounding the use of raw eggs

A small percentage of people are allergic to eggs. Some people have egg white intolerance.

If you are allergic, intolerant, or simply dislike eggs, some people should avoid eating egg products, so bar menus should include their use in cocktails.

Eggs are susceptible to salmonella contamination, so it is worth taking steps to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning. To do this, you should know about the following pros and cons of using eggs.

• 1. Consider using pasteurized eggs rather than fresh eggs. Particularly in a bar or restaurant, you are taking a risk by serving fresh egg whites, where a quality chilled pasteurized egg white is indistinguishable from fresh egg whites in a cocktail. Pasteurized egg whites may cost a little more, but are convenient if you use a 500g box - enough for over 30 cocktails.
• 2. Use eggs well before consumption; it is advisable that the eggs be branded.
• 3. Use small or medium sized eggs rather than large sized eggs (as hens age they will produce larger eggs, so small eggs will come from younger birds).
• 4. It is preferable to use organic eggs as they are laid by hens that have been raised in the most humane manner. Everything from their housing, freedom of movement and food is strictly regulated.
• 5. If you buy eggs that are already stored in the refrigerator, you must store them in the refrigerator as well, otherwise they will sweat. If you buy eggs at room temperature, then store them at a temperature below 20 degrees or in the refrigerator with a temperature of 0 to 2.5 degrees.
• 6. It is best to store eggs in a closed box at the bottom of the refrigerator. Storing in a box prevents odors from penetrating through the shell and egg flavoring. Conversely, you can place citrus peels, spices, truffles or tea in the box, or cotton wool filled with aromatic oil to flavor your eggs.
• 7. Check the freshness of the egg by placing it in water. A fresh egg will sink, but a stale egg will float.
• 8. Salmonella contamination starts on the shell, spreads to the egg white and finally to the yolk, so always rinse the egg shell under warm/hot running water before using it. However, because of their protective coating, do not wash the eggs until you are ready to use them.

Do not eat raw eggs if:

• 1. You are not sure about their freshness.
• 2. There is a crack or defect in the housing.
• 3. They do not wobble when rolling on a flat surface.
• 4. Egg whites are watery, not gel-like.
• 5. The egg yolk is not convex and hard.
• 6. Egg yolk explodes easily.
• 7. They smell like dirt.
• 8. Do not consume raw eggs if you are pregnant or have a weak immune system due to other health problems, especially if you are young or old.
• 9. Don't think that alcohol kills salmonella, it doesn't.
• 10. Do not crack eggs on the side of your cocktail mixing glass, salmonella may be present on the shells so beware of transferring and even contaminating your shaker.

Washing eggs

Eggs have a natural coating called a cuticle or plaque that seals the pores of the eggshell, thereby reducing the loss of moisture from the egg. This also helps prevent bacteria from entering the casing.

Most eggs are not washed, so they are sold with a natural coating and it is best to preserve it for as long as possible until the time of use.

Once you have washed the eggs, rinse them with warm or hot water.

Air chamber

When the eggs are freshly frozen, their temperature corresponds to the body temperature of the chicken that just laid them - 41 degrees.

As they cool to ambient temperature, the liquid inside the eggs contracts more than the shell, causing the membrane of the inner shell to separate from the other shell and thus forming an air pocket or air chamber.

In the following hours or days, moisture and carbon dioxide from the egg escape through the pores of the shell, and due to air pressure, air enters through the same pores, expanding the air chamber.

When you peel a hard-boiled egg, you find that one pole of the egg is flattened due to the air cells that usually occupy the large end of the egg, forming a flattened end when boiled when forced out.

Due to the development of air cells and growth over time, older eggs are easier to peel than fresh eggs. The development of this air pocket also facilitates a useful test for egg freshness. If the buoyancy caused by this air pocket causes the egg to float in a bowl of water, then it is bad and should be thrown away.

Only eggs that sink and remain underwater should be used in the cocktail.

Shell color

The breed of chicken determines the color of the shell of the eggs laid. Hens with white feathers and earlobes lay white-shelled eggs, while hens with feathers and red ears lay brown eggs.

The color of the shell does not affect the taste or nutritional value, but despite this, different countries prefer specific shell colors. Marketing also requires that most organic and free-range eggs be brown.

In fact, I remember one nutritionist saying, “Brown food is good, white food is bad.” This may apply to bread and rice, but not to eggs.

While the shell does not affect the taste, it does affect the color of the yolk.

This is influenced by the plant pigments that feed the chicken, such as grass-based feed or corn.

Delicious food equals tasty eggs.

Super food

• Eggs are very nutritious, containing high levels of protein, vitamins, selenium, iodine, choline, minerals and omega-3 fatty acids.
• Eggs are low in calories (about 65 calories in a medium-sized egg), with most of the calories found in the yolk, which is also denser in vitamins and minerals.
• Egg white is formed around a fertilized or unfertilized egg yolk and its main purpose is to protect the yolk as well as provide nutrition for the growth of the embryo (assuming the egg is fertilized).
• Egg white makes up approximately two-thirds of chicken eggs by weight, with water accounting for about 90% of this amount, and the remaining 10% being protein, glucose, carbohydrates, sodium, fatty substances and vitamins.
• Egg whites contain no cholesterol, and a medium egg white has only 17 calories.
• Egg whites contain just over 50% of the total protein content of an egg.

Egg yolk

The spherical egg yolk contains the egg (embryo). Its yellow color comes from lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids known as xanthophylls.

The yolk is rich in vitamins and minerals and contains the fat and cholesterol in eggs. Although the yolk takes up only one-third of the egg's total weight, it contains three times more energy (calories) and all the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, K and especially D.

Egg yolk is one of the few foods containing vitamin D.

Double yolks are two yolks in one egg, obtained from young hens (chicks), usually between 16 and 20 weeks of age.

Source: based on Simon Difford

Conclusion

When preparing a protein shake, remember that it is not intended to replace a nutritious diet. A normal balanced diet is more beneficial. When consuming protein shakes, you need to remember. that everything should be in moderation. If you constantly take only sports nutrition, this can lead to an oversaturation of the body with proteins, which does not have a very beneficial effect on human health.

However, such shakes are more beneficial and effective in gaining muscle mass than powdered shakes.

How and when to drink a protein shake

The cocktail should be drunk in the morning, afternoon and at night. That is, the last portion must be just before bedtime. In this case, ordinary nutritious food (lunch or dinner) should be present at least once a day. Or better yet, 2 times a day. It is this cocktail consumption that will give you an increase of 200-250 grams per day.

Important to remember

You need to eat regular food before drinking a cocktail, because after it you won’t want anything else.

If you need to gain weight very quickly, you can drink the cocktail 4 times a day. But in this case, it is necessary to remove the egg, sour cream and butter in two out of four cocktail servings. In order not to create an increased intake of fats into the body.

Also focus on the scale readings - If the weight gain is more than 200-250g per day, then the number of servings must be reduced. Do not disrupt the functioning of the digestive system, liver and metabolism.

We estimate the weight

Weighing: to correctly assess the results, you will definitely need scales (preferably electronic) that show values ​​on a 100 gram scale. Those. 56.3kg, 56.4kg, etc.

The scales MUST lie on a hard and level surface! Better on tiles. On a soft surface (linoleum, carpet, etc.) their readings will be incorrect.

You weigh yourself only in the morning, as soon as you wake up. Beforehand, be sure to not eat anything, not drink anything, and go to the toilet.

Check the accuracy of the scale readings - weigh yourself as usual, then take a 200-300 ml glass of water and weigh it with it. High-quality scales will immediately show the difference of these 200g-300g. If this does not happen, it is recommended to either replace the scale or take into account its inaccuracy in the future.

Nuance: There will be days when, when you get up on the scale in the morning, you will see that your weight has remained the same or has decreased slightly. This is normal and trivially related to the physiological needs of your body. To put it simply, in fact, during the day you gained another 200-300 grams of weight, but when you went to the toilet the day before, you “left more grams there.” THEREFORE, assessment of the effectiveness of your individual weight gain is carried out not daily, but weekly! Those. you estimate how much weight you have gained in a week.

Drinking a cocktail while doing bodybuilding

If you are involved in bodybuilding and the fat content in products is important to you, then you can remove sour cream, butter and reduce the fat content of milk. (can be low-fat) In this case, you must increase the number of eggs and the amount of porridge and milk in one serving by 1.5 - 2 times!

However, remember, if your body type is asthenic (ectomorphic), then the issue of fat content should not particularly worry you, especially in the first year of training. This is relevant for hypersthenics (endomorphs), who, on the contrary, require all foods to be low-fat, and after training not to eat for 2-3 hours so that the body receives energy by processing fat deposits.

Your task is to gain weight in principle, but to “shrink and get lean”, with your metabolic rate and ability to lose weight, believe me, you can always and very quickly.

Therefore, think about whether it is worth changing the composition of the cocktail in the first 1-2 months of its use...

If you need to not just gain a few kg, but significantly gain more than 10-15 kg, think in advance about the gym or fitness (for girls). If you intend to gain such serious weight, then in some places of the body you may become simply fat (usually the sides and stomach). This is genetics and no nutritional program will change this pattern. The solution to the problem is only the gym or competent exercises at home on these parts of the body.

Protein shakes with added milk for weight loss

The main goal of this cocktail is to remove extra pounds without bringing stress to the body. This drink should be consumed in the evening, provided that enough carbohydrates were taken with breakfast. Milk protein instantly enriches the body and acts throughout the day.

RECIPE No. 1. Cottage cheese with milk

1. Milk (2% fat) 200 grams.
2. Fresh cottage cheese 100 grams.
3. Add sugar to taste.

Milk and cottage cheese must be removed from the refrigerator in advance and brought to room temperature. Mix thoroughly and beat until thick foam. Instead of sugar, you can add honey to make the drink more natural.

RECIPE No. 2. Cocoa powder with added cinnamon

1. Milk 150 grams.
2. Cottage cheese (3% fat) 130 grams.
3. Cocoa powder 10 grams.
4. Cinnamon (teaspoon)

Pre-mix cocoa with cinnamon, gradually adding milk. Stirring at the same time. If the cottage cheese has lumps, you need to grate it. Add to milk and blend thoroughly again. The product is ready to use!

RECIPE No. 3. Grainy cottage cheese with ground red pepper.

1. Skim milk 170 grams.
2. Cottage cheese with grains 150 grams.
3. Ground red pepper 2 pinches.

It is better to purchase cottage cheese in packages. Fat content should be about 5%. Pour the entire mixture into a blender bowl. Beat thoroughly. This cocktail is good to drink in the evening at 6 pm.

RECIPE No. 4. Eggs with nuts

1. Chicken egg (raw).
2. Kefir (fat content 2.5% 200 grams.
3. Walnut, shelled 50 grams.
4. Honey 20 grams.

Fry the nuts in a frying pan without adding oil for 5 minutes. Then the nuts need to be chopped as much as possible. Add honey and pour kefir. Pour into blender bowl. You can use the whole egg or separate the white. Whip until thick foam and take for dinner.

RECIPE No. 5. Egg white with parsley

1. Chicken egg white 2 pieces.
2. Milk 250 grams.
3. Parsley 20 grams.

You need to make sure the chicken eggs are fresh. It's better to use homemade ones. You will need milk at room temperature, and the protein should be chilled. Place all ingredients in a blender bowl and blend. Cut the washed parsley into small particles and mix into the resulting base. The drink is ideal for weight loss. Bon appetit!