The Dangers of Eating Salted Eggs Excessively

Salted eggs were first made in China in the sixth century as a way to preserve them. As time goes by, salted eggs spread from China to all over the world. These days salted eggs are quite popular as a side dish in most Asian countries.

The Making of Salted Eggs

Salted eggs come from duck eggs. There are various methods for making salted eggs.

• The most common and simple way is to soak the duck eggs in a brine solution.
• Another way is to soak the duck eggs in a mixture of salt – charcoal. Here charcoal serves as an antiseptic.
• There are also people who make salted eggs by soaking duck eggs in a mixture of salt – clay.

Soaking is normally done for 2 weeks. Salt will seep into the duck eggs and give a salty taste.

The Health Benefits

Eggs are an easy-to-obtain, high-quality, affordable source of protein. Most of the protein content of the egg is in its egg white. In addition, egg whites also contain vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, low amounts of fat and cholesterol, selenium and minerals such as iron, zinc and copper.

While egg yolk is a source of cholesterol, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and lecithin. Egg yolks contain more fat and calories than egg whites. Eggs can be considered as a complete source of protein because it also contains essential amino acids which can not be produced by the body. But you have to cook the eggs before they are consumed because there are risks of eating raw eggs.

Duck eggs are usually larger than chicken eggs. Compared to chicken eggs, duck eggs are richer in protein but also have more fat and cholesterol. Salted duck eggs contain important nutrients for the human body such as fat, vitamins, proteins, various amino acids, fat, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Therefore it is indisputable that salted eggs have lots of health benefits.

The Dangers

Nevertheless, there are dangers of eating salted eggs excessively. As old saying goes, too much of something is always bad enough. Let’s see some of those negative effects.

1. High Blood Pressure

Today almost all foods contain salt. The human tongue has grown accustomed to the taste supplied by salt. Therefore it’s almost impossible for a person to never eat salty food.

In addition to taste flavors, salt also serves as a source of sodium. The body needs sufficient sodium intake to help muscle function, nerve impulse transmission and maintain body fluid balance. But consuming too much sodium can also cause health problems.

One salted egg is estimated to contain more than 10 grams of salt which contributes to its high fat and cholesterol content. The recommended daily salt intake is 1.15 – 2.3 grams of salt. Consumption of foods that are high in salt and cholesterol in the long run can pose a risk of high blood pressure.

Although high blood pressure can also be caused by other factors such as foods that are high in saturated fat and uncontrolled stress, the consumption of foods high in salt or sodium increases the risk of a person getting high blood pressure.

It can not be denied that high blood pressure is a gateway for more serious health problems like heart disease and stroke. If you’ve been living with high blood pressure, it’s a wise move to reduce your daily salt intake.

2. Heart Disease

The habit of eating salted eggs excessively will make a person exposed to high blood pressure risk. There is no doubt that high blood pressure can be a cause of heart disease. Excessive salt intake can disrupt blood flow to the heart which can eventually lead to heart attacks.

If you have high blood pressure or are overweight, both of which are risk factors for heart disease, you should manage your salt intake strictly. A study shows a reduction in daily salt intake by as much as 50 percent can save a person from heart attacks and other health problems. By the way, you must learn some symptoms of heart disease that need to be recognized.

3. Stroke

One of the dangers of eating salted eggs excessively is a stroke. There are many health organizations and research institutes that recommend daily salt intake of 1.15 – 2.3 grams. One salted egg is obviously high in salt so there is no doubt its salt content exceeds recommended daily intake.

Consuming excessive salty foods has been linked to a reduction in blood flow to the brain that could eventually lead to stroke. In addition, excessive salty foods can certainly increase the risk of high blood pressure. It has been proved by research that high blood pressure may trigger a stroke.

4. High Cholesterol

One salted egg is estimated to contain 600 mg of cholesterol which also depends on the process of making the salted egg. The recommended intake of cholesterol is 300 mg per day.

Therefore, one salted egg has a cholesterol content of twice the daily recommended intake. Consuming more than one salted egg per day will definitely make a person at a risk of high cholesterol. It is commonly known that high cholesterol can cause many health problems.

In the long run high cholesterol can damage the arteries. Cholesterol accumulates in the arteries, which is termed atherosclerosis, and causes narrowing of the arteries. This narrowing causes blood flow to be disrupted and can lead to heart attack or stroke. There are no significant symptoms of high cholesterol. That’s why to determine the cholesterol level a person must do a blood test.

5. Kidney Failure

Eating salted eggs excessively raises the risk of high blood pressure. As blood pressure rises, the blood vessels work harder. If this condition lasts for a long time, chances are the blood vessels become damaged, including the blood vessels in the kidneys that eventually lead to kidney failure.

In addition, consuming salty foods in excess can also cause more calcium to accumulate in the body and in the urine. This could potentially lead to the formation of kidney stones. In fact there are many foods that must be considered for kidney health, one of which is apple vinegar. You need to know there are several side effects of apple vinegar for kidney.

All right, you already know the dangers of eating salted eggs excessively. It is recommended to eat one salted egg per day along with other foods that are low in salt and cholesterol like fresh fruit and vegetables. If you have a problem with cholesterol, you can eat only the egg whites. The point is you need to control your daily salt intake for your own health.