To many nutrition experts, eggs are golden — one of the most accessible and affordable protein sources available.

在许多营养专家心目中，鸡蛋价值连城——它们是最容易获得、最经济实惠的蛋白质来源之一。

And while the “affordable” part may currently be up for debate as bird flu drives up the prices, experts point out that eggs are still cheaper than many lean meats and fresh fish.

由于禽流感推高了价格，“经济实惠”这一点目前可能存在争议，但专家指出，鸡蛋仍然比许多瘦肉和鲜鱼便宜。

Plus, they’re versatile, portable (when hard-boiled) and an easy lift for anyone new to cooking.

此外，它们用途广泛，便于携带（煮熟后），对于烹饪新手来说也很容易上手。

Here’s what we know about them nutritionally, plus some favorite recipes from New York Times Cooking.

以下是我们对鸡蛋营养的认识，以及时报烹饪版上一些最受欢迎的食谱。

They’re high in cholesterol — but not the kind that harms your health.

鸡蛋的胆固醇含量很高，但不会危害健康。

When Dr. Martha Gulati, the director of preventive cardiology at the Cedars-Sinai Smidt Heart Institute, sees patients with high cholesterol, they often ask, “Can I eat eggs?”

西达斯-西奈的斯密特心脏病研究所预防心脏病学主任玛莎·古拉蒂在接诊时经常会有高胆固醇患者问：“我能吃鸡蛋吗？”

It’s a fair question. One egg contains 207 milligrams of dietary cholesterol, which is about three times more than you’d get from a sausage link.

这是个好问题。一个鸡蛋内含有207毫克的膳食胆固醇，是香肠串的胆固醇含量的大概三倍。

But the cholesterol in eggs probably won’t increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. That’s because dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol aren’t the same, Dr. Gulati said. Blood cholesterol — specifically low-density lipoprotein, or LDL — is what causes the dangerous plaque accumulation in your arteries and veins.

但是鸡蛋中的胆固醇很可能不会增加罹患心脏病和中风的风险。古拉蒂说，这是因为膳食胆固醇和血液胆固醇是不一样的。血液中的胆固醇，特别是低密度脂蛋白(LDL)，是导致动脉和静脉中危险斑块堆积的原因。

Some blood cholesterol comes from dietary cholesterol, but far more comes from your own liver, she said. Your liver makes more LDL when you eat excess saturated fat. But eggs (unlike sausages) aren’t very fatty. One egg contains just 1.6 grams of saturated fat.

她说，血液中的胆固醇有些来自膳食胆固醇，但更多是来自你自己的肝脏。当你摄入过多饱和脂肪时，肝脏会产生更多低密度脂蛋白。但是鸡蛋（与香肠不同）不含很多脂肪。一个鸡蛋中只含有1.6克饱和脂肪。

“Of all the things I worry about people eating, eggs really aren’t that bad,” Dr. Gulati said.

“有很多食物都很令人担心，但鸡蛋真的没有那么糟糕，”古拉蒂说。

The scientific community used to be more divided about dietary cholesterol risks, said Dr. Philip Greenland, a professor of cardiology and preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. But the Dietary Guidelines for Americans stopped including daily dietary cholesterol limits in 2015, and, in 2019, the American Heart Association published an advisory saying dietary cholesterol is not a major concern for heart disease.

西北大学范伯格医学院心脏病学和预防医学教授菲利普·格林兰博士说，科学界过去对膳食胆固醇风险的看法分歧较大。但《美国膳食指南》在2015年停止了对每日膳食胆固醇的限制，2019年，美国心脏协会发布了一份报告，称膳食胆固醇不是心脏病的主要隐患。

That doesn’t mean people should eat eggs in excess, Dr. Greenland said. Studies that have shown eggs don’t increase blood cholesterol mostly focused on moderate egg consumption — think one egg per day or two every other day, he said.

格林兰说，这并不等于说人们应该过多食用鸡蛋。他说，研究表明，证明鸡蛋不会增加血液胆固醇的研究大多以适量食用为基础——比如每天一个鸡蛋或每隔一天两个鸡蛋。

They’re a complete protein source.

鸡蛋是完全蛋白质来源。

One egg contains more than six grams of protein, which nutrition experts consider high, relative to its 70 total calories.

一个鸡蛋含有六克以上的蛋白质，营养专家认为，相对于其70卡路里的总热量，这样的蛋白质含量是很高的。

The quality of an egg’s protein is also a key benefit, said Sapna Batheja, a dietitian and assistant professor of food and nutrition at George Mason University.

乔治·梅森大学食品与营养学助理教授、营养师萨普娜·巴泰贾说，鸡蛋的蛋白质质量也是其关键优点。

Proteins — the building blocks of your body — are all made of various combinations of 20 amino acids. Your body can make 11 of these amino acids itself, but you must get the other nine from food, Dr. Batheja said. Eggs contain all nine, making them a “complete” protein source.

蛋白质是构成人体的基石，由20种氨基酸的不同组合而成。巴泰贾说，人体可以自己制造其中的11种氨基酸，但必须从食物中获得另外九种。这九种氨基酸鸡蛋全部含有，因此是一种“完全”蛋白质来源。

They’re rich in choline.

鸡蛋富含胆碱。

Eggs are one of the highest sources of the multitasking nutrient choline, which is important for your muscle control, metabolism, nervous system, mood and memory, among other things.

鸡蛋是多功能营养素胆碱含量最高的来源之一，胆碱对肌肉控制、新陈代谢、神经系统、情绪和记忆等都很重要。

Your body can make some choline on its own, but not as much as it needs, said Razan Hallak, a dietitian at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

俄亥俄州立大学韦克斯纳医学中心的营养师拉赞·哈拉克说，人体可以自己制造一些胆碱，但不能满足全部需要。

One egg contains 169 milligrams of choline, which means two eggs could put you well on your way to meeting the daily recommendation of 550 milligrams for adult males and 425 milligrams for females.

一个鸡蛋含有169毫克胆碱，这意味着两个鸡蛋就能让你达到成年男性每天550毫克和女性425毫克的推荐摄入量。

Serious choline deficiency is rare in the general public, but most people who are pregnant or nursing don’t get enough. The nutrient plays a role in maintaining and creating healthy cells, Dr. Batheja said, and it’s important for early brain development.

严重的胆碱缺乏症在普通人中很少见，但大多数孕妇或哺乳期女性都没有摄入足够的胆碱。巴泰贾说，这种营养物质在维持和创造健康细胞方面发挥着重要作用，对早期大脑发育很重要。

Ready to get cracking?

准备好了吗？

No matter how you prepare them, eggs provide high-quality protein and nutrients, experts said. (But make sure to cook them all the way through to avoid salmonella.)

专家说，不管如何烹饪，鸡蛋都能提供高质量的蛋白质和营养。（但一定要做熟，避免沙门氏菌。）

If you’re trying to reduce saturated fat in your diet, Dr. Batheja suggested cooking eggs with minimal butter. And if you cook them with oil, it’s best to use a heart-healthy option, like olive oil.

如果你想减少饮食中的饱和脂肪，巴泰贾建议烹制鸡蛋时尽量少用黄油。如果用油烹饪，最好使用对心脏健康有益的选择，比如橄榄油。

“Hard-boiled eggs are absolutely fantastic,” she added. This method only requires water.

“白煮蛋绝对是个好东西，”她还说。这种方法只需要用到水。

And although an egg-white omelet is completely fat-free, experts don’t typically advise going in that direction. That’s because most of the egg’s nutrients, including choline, are found in the yolk.

只用蛋白的煎蛋饼是完全不含脂肪的，但专家们通常不建议这个做法。因为鸡蛋的大部分营养物质，包括胆碱，都存在于蛋黄中。

To ensure you’re eating healthfully when you eat eggs, Dr. Gulati recommended paying attention to the rest of your plate. People often pair eggs with fatty foods like sausage and bacon, which, unlike eggs themselves, do raise your risk for heart disease.

为了确保鸡蛋吃得健康，古拉蒂建议注意你盘子里的其他食物。人们经常把鸡蛋和香肠、培根等高脂肪食物搭配在一起，与鸡蛋不同，这些食物确实会增加罹患心脏病的风险。

Instead, try pairing them with plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Here are some ideas from NYT Cooking.

相反，应当尝试搭配大量的水果、蔬菜和全谷物。以下是纽约时报烹饪版的一些建议。

1. Scrambled Eggs With Soy-Marinated Tomatoes

1. 酱油调味的番茄炒蛋

Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

In this take on Chinese stir-fried tomatoes with eggs, chopped tomatoes tossed in a sesame-soy dressing make a juicy contrast to the creamy hot scramble.

在这道从中式番茄炒蛋变化而来的菜式中Shakshuka usually starts with a tomato-pepper base for simmering eggs. Here, the eggs are set in a sauce of wilted chard and finished with a kick of jalapeño.

北非蛋通常先用番茄和胡椒打底，然后放入鸡蛋熬煮。在这道菜里，鸡蛋放在瑞士甜菜酱中，最后加入墨西哥辣椒提味。

Recipe: Green Shakshuka With Avocado and Lime

食谱：绿北非蛋搭配牛油果和酸橙

3. Toasted Coconut Rice With Bok Choy and Fried Eggs

3. 烤椰饭搭配青菜和煎蛋

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Toasting the rice in unrefined (virgin) coconut oil gives this dinner a tropical richness.

食谱：烤椰饭搭配青菜和煎蛋Hearty with farro and fragrant with shallot and chile, this easy stovetop frittata doesn’t even require flipping.

丰盛的法罗麦，芬芳的小葱和辣椒，这道简单的炉灶煎蛋饼甚至不需要翻面。

Recipe: Grain Frittata With Chile, Lime and Fresh Herbs

食谱：谷物煎蛋饼搭配辣椒、青柠和新鲜香草

5. Egg Curry

5. 鸡蛋咖喱

Packed with spices and fresh ginger, this tomato curry sauce infuses boiled eggs with warming flavors.

番茄咖喱酱中加入辛香料和新鲜的姜，为水煮蛋增加温暖的味道。

Recipe: Egg Curry

食谱：鸡蛋咖喱