One Of The Healthiest Ways To Cook An Egg Is Also One Of The Easiest

Eggs are one of the most versatile and nutritious foods out there. Whether you need a shiny egg wash finish on your pie, a filling breakfast, or a creamy carbonara sauce, they're a staple in endless dishes. Although eggs had a bad rap for a while due to their cholesterol content, it seems that their nutritional benefits outweigh their cons — especially when cooked in a healthy way. And one of those is boiling them.

Boiling is one of the healthiest ways to cook eggs, since you don't need to use any additional fats in the cooking process. This method also ensures the eggs are cooked for a shorter period of time, which helps retain more of their nutrients. Cooking your egg will reduce some nutrients regardless, but a prolonged cooking method, like baking, will do a lot more nutritional damage. 

For example, a 2014 study published in Food Chemistry found that up to 14% of vitamin D is lost when boiling eggs, while up to 61% is lost when they're baked for 40 minutes. Plus, hard-boiling your eggs so they're thoroughly cooked minimizes the risk of foodborne illness such as salmonella — the USDA recommends that eggs are cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to keep things safe. 

Boiling eggs is fairly straightforward, but there are a few key tips to keep in mind. Firstly, make sure you start with already boiling water, because this will ensure that you accurately monitor their cooking time. It's also a good idea to set a timer, because let's be real, it's easy to get distracted and end up with grey, overcooked eggs. You'll need around six minutes for soft-boiled, and 11 minutes for hard-boiled, depending on size. 

The health benefits of soft or hard-boiled are pretty much the same, making both an equally nutritious choice. The only safety element to consider is that leaving the yolk runny could increase the risk of foodborne illnesses, so you may wish to avoid preparing them this way if you're in a higher risk group. 

Once your eggs are done, transfer them straight to an ice bath if you're not serving them immediately. Not only does this make them easier to peel, but it stops them from cooking further, and allows them to retain more of their nutrients. And if you don't want to waste time bringing your water to a boil, it's also possible to cook boiled eggs in the air fryer, or even in the oven — just use a muffin tin to keep them in place.