The egg is a versatile product when it comes to cooking and plays a very important role when it comes to having a balanced diet. This product of animal origin (poultry) has a high nutritional value, and a high level of proteins, vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and fatty acids. Many varieties of eggs can be found on the market. The most common are chicken eggs. One of the main visible differences between them is the color: there are white eggs and brown eggs.

In terms of flavor and nutritional properties they are the same. The color of the egg is only determined by the genetics of the hen and its pigmentation. The Andalusian chicken, a common breed of chickens in the south, is characterized by laying white eggs, which is why, traditionally, the Malaga egg has been characterized by having a light shell. The way the chickens are raised also influences the taste and shape of the eggs. You can distinguish between caged chicken eggs (the animal lives in small cages that make it easier to collect the egg); floor chicken eggs (the chickens are loose inside a shed); free-range chicken eggs (like free-range chickens, they live in a warehouse, but they also have outdoor pens), and organic chicken eggs (they feed on organic feed and must meet more restrictive conditions of care and freedom. ).

Consumption and use of eggs in cooking
The egg is a fundamental piece of Spanish gastronomic recipes. A high percentage of the dishes prepared every day include eggs as an ingredient. This product can be consumed fried, grilled, cooked, scrambled, in omelettes, with soup, in sweets, in desserts... In addition to its nutritional properties, the egg stands out for other essential characteristics in the kitchen. Thanks to its foaming capacity, it is very useful in pastry and confectionery to make products with foam and spongy texture, while thanks to its emulsifying nature (it allows creating homogeneous mixtures from various liquids) it is useful for preparing all types of sauces: mayonnaise, aioli, rose, tartar…

Production

The most common way of producing Malaga eggs is by raising hens in cages. In this case, the hen lives in small cages that are designed to facilitate the collection of eggs and to prevent them from breaking and getting stained with manure due to contact with the ground. In these farms, the details of the animal's feeding are taken care of to promote the best laying conditions and great care is taken regarding sanitary and cleanliness conditions.

Other varieties

The chicken egg is the most common both when it comes to consumption and when it comes to cooking. However, there are other varieties that are also common and have different characteristics and flavor. The ostrich egg is a large egg (it can weigh more than a kilogram); The quail egg is very small and is a common product in children's diets and also closely linked to gourmet cuisine. Duck egg and goose egg are also widely consumed in some cultures.

The false cholesterole myth

The presence of cholesterol in eggs has long been erroneously associated with being a harmful product for people with cardiovascular problems. Nothing is further from reality. Numerous studies have shown that the cholesterol consumed in food does not have to have a very serious impact on blood cholesterol levels. Today the egg is a recommended product in any diet due to its high contribution of phospholipids, unsaturated fats, vitamins and antioxidants.