5 Most Effective Ways On How To Tell If Eggs Are Bad? | Your Ultimate Guide

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Wondering how to tell if eggs are bad? Don’t worry, we’re here to make your life easier.

Eggs are one of the most nutrient-rich foods for us to stay healthy. In fact, nowadays, most doctors recommend people to make eggs a part of their healthy diet. But wait, these eggs can also make you fall sick if you eat a bad one.

If you have stored eggs in your fridge and are unsure whether they are good to eat or not, this article is for you.

If your eggs have been stored for up to 3-5 weeks or even longer, then they’ll probably still be in good condition. But still, it’s a good idea to learn how to tell if eggs are bad as it will help you to stay safe.

Keep reading to know how to tell if eggs are bad, how to keep eggs fresh, and many more essential things.

Let’s dive in!

5 Effective Ways To Spot a Bad Egg

Smell It

Smelling the egg is one of the simplest ways for how to tell if eggs are bad.

You just have to simply crack the egg open and smell it. If you notice any kind of unusual smell, throw that egg out of your kitchen window. If the egg is too old, there are chances that your egg will smell bad even in its shell.

Also, if the egg is bad, its smell will always remain there. Doesn’t matter if it’s raw or cooked.

Put Your Eggs In a Bowl or Wide Glass Of Water (The Float Test)

This is one of the most effective and easiest ‘ how to tell if eggs are bad ‘ methods.

Take a glass of water and put your egg in it. Eggs that sink are fresh and the eggs that float are not fresh. But wait, not all floating eggs are bad. To know if they are bad or not, you will have to crack open and smell them.

If your egg is at the bottom and standing upright, it means that the egg is getting old. But still, it might be safe to eat.

Take The Egg Near Your Ear and Shake It

How to tell if eggs are bad with this method will be very easy as it will only take a few seconds to perform.

Simply bring an egg near your ear and shake it. If you don’t hear any sound, congratulations, your egg is safe to eat.

But if you notice a sound of liquid coming from inside of the egg, it indicates that the egg is too old and is not safe to eat.

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Check The Quality Of The Egg White And Yolk

Another way for how to tell if eggs are bad is to take an egg and crack open it (preferably on a plate) and look for the following signs:

The egg white is spreading very wide on the plate and seems to be very watery and runnier
The yolk moving very easily
Discoloration in the egg. You will notice the greenish or pink color of the egg white or yolk
The yolk is flat and breaks very easily

If you notice these signs in your eggs, you will have to throw them out.

Also remember, if you notice the green color on your hard-cooked yolk, don’t worry they are safe to eat. It is just a consequence of high iron content in the cooking water or maybe overcooking.

Want to know the best ways to hard boil eggs? Click here

What If I Accidentally Eat a Bad Egg?

First of all, now you know how to tell if eggs are bad, so make sure to use that knowledge in the future to identify all the bad eggs in your way.

But still, if you accidentally eat a bad egg, here are the health risks that can occur:

Vomiting – When your body detects that something unusual has entered, it tries to throw it out through vomiting.
Abdominal Pain – Abdominal pain or cramps can be felt when a bad egg is consumed.
Diarrhea – Bad eggs can also cause Diarrhea.
Fever – Fever may also occur.

It will take between 12 to 72 hours to notice the consequences of consuming a bad egg, according to FDA. They will last for at least 4 to 7 days and most likely will disappear on their own. But if they don’t and become severe day by day, visit a doctor as soon as possible. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to know how to tell if eggs are bad.

Also, keep in mind that people below 5 years of age, above 65 years of age, and with a weakened immune system are at more risk and may have to face severe consequences.

How Can I Keep My Eggs Fresh?

Along with how to tell if eggs are bad, how to keep eggs fresh is equally important.

Here are three points that you need to keep in mind to keep your eggs fresh.

Don’t throw out the carton of your eggs. Because it contains the properties that keep eggs protected. It contains the expiry date which helps to determine if the eggs are in the good condition or not.
Don’t keep the eggs in the door of your refrigerator as the temperature in that area keeps fluctuating. Instead, keep them in the main body of your fridge and let your eggs enjoy the cool temperature.
Don’t keep eggs out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. Leaving it out for more than two hours can make an ideal environment for the bacteria and you will have to throw them out. So, avoid doing this.

After being successful in keeping your eggs fresh, cook them and enjoy some delicious dishes like this one.

Tips To Keep In Mind When Buying Eggs From a Store

If you buy the right eggs, you probably won’t have to use ‘how to tell if eggs are bad‘ methods. But wait, let’s just accept it, most of us are unaware of what to look for when purchasing eggs. Not anymore, here we are mentioning some tips for you. Have a look:

Always check the expiry date on the package – If you notice that the eggs have surpassed the sell-by or expiry date, don’t even bother to buy them.
Buy the eggs that are stored in a refrigerated case – It’s not a good option to buy the eggs kept in an open area. Because chances are high that the eggs have lost their freshness.
Look for the cracks – If the eggs are cracked, don’t buy them as the bacteria can enter through the crack.

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Top 7 Health Benefits Of Eating Eggs

Aside from how to tell if eggs are bad, you need to know that eggs contain the most beneficial nutrients that our body needs to stay healthy. If you are successful in keeping your eggs fresh, you can also avail those benefits.

Here’s the list of some of the best health benefits you can get from eating eggs.

Contains The High-Quality Protein

According to Healthline, an egg contains 6-7 gram high-quality protein. It contains all the nine essential amino acids that our body needs to function properly.

So, if there is a lack of protein in your daily meals, then include eggs in your diet and take full advantage of protein in eggs.

Increases The Level Of Good Cholesterol

Consuming eggs can increase the good cholesterol level in your body. This is the reason why consuming eggs won’t increase the risk of heart diseases.

An average large egg contains 186 mg of cholesterol which is available in the yolk part of the egg. Doctors also recommend taking the least amount of cholesterol in your diet (under 300 mg per day). However, if you still want to eliminate the cholesterol from your diet completely, you can consume only the white part of the egg.

Provides Enough Vitamin D

Eggs fall into the list of foods that are high in vitamin D. By eating two eggs daily, the need of vitamin D in your body can easily be met.

Add eggs to your diet to complete the requirement of vitamin D and help your body to function properly. Also, don’t forget the sun as it’s natural and the best source of vitamin D.

Improves The Eye Health

Eggs are known as one of the most beneficial foods for the eyes. They contain nutrients like vitamin A, lutein, zinc, zeaxanthin, which are vital for our eyes.

Good Amount Of Omega-3

An egg contains around 100 mg to 500 mg of Omega-3. Omega-3 from eggs can provide you many benefits, including:

Reduces inflammation
Helps the eyes to function properly
Supports the brain development
Reduces the risk of dementia
Promotes cardiovascular health

Helps In Maintaining a Healthy Weight

Eggs are rich in nutrients and low in calories. This is exactly what makes it an ideal food for people trying to manage their weight.

Consuming eggs makes your stomach feel full for a long day which ultimately prevents you from eating unnecessarily. It also helps in increasing your energy level which helps you to get done with your daily tasks effectively.

Boosts Your Metabolism

As we mentioned before, eggs are rich in protein and low in calories. Protein helps our body to function properly and boosts metabolism.

Now after knowing how to tell if eggs are bad and the benefits, I’m sure that you might be wondering how many eggs should be consumed in a day? Unfortunately, there is no exact answer to this question. If we see according to science, more than three eggs can be consumed per day. But if you are suffering from any disease or receiving any medical treatment, then it’s a must to ask your doctor about the consumption of eggs.

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There’s also confusion between brown and white eggs. Many people believe that brown eggs are healthier than white eggs. But let me tell you, my friend, there is no difference between brown and white eggs. Both contain a similar amount of calories, high-quality protein, and all other essential nutrients. Both eggs are healthy, don’t get confused by the color of their shells.

Alright, Now Tell Me Some Delicious Dishes I Can Prepare With Eggs.
Here You Go!

Here’s the list of some delicious dishes you can prepare with eggs, but don’t forget how to tell if eggs are bad.

If you are someone who eats only boiled eggs, now it’s the time for an experiment. Skip the boiled eggs and try any one of the following mouth-watering recipes.

Egg Biryani

If you have leftover rice in your refrigerator, this dish is for you. In egg biriyani, scrambled eggs are mixed with rice and spices. This dish doesn’t take much effort and time to prepare so you should try it, at least once.