Have you ever opened an egg and discovered a small spot of blood in the yolk or white? If this has happened to you, you may have wondered about its significance. However, there is no need to worry because an egg with a blood spot is perfectly safe to consume. In fact, from a spiritual perspective, it is believed to symbolize good luck and fortune.
The truth is, those red spots you see are naturally occurring and harmless. They don’t spoil the egg or indicate the hen was sick. Blood spots simply happen during egg formation and aren’t a cause for concern. While cultural myths persist, you can rest easy knowing the blood in your egg is normal and won’t bring you fortune or misfortune.
Ancient Origins
The superstition dates back to ancient times when people didn’t understand much about chicken reproduction. Seeing blood in an egg was strange and frightening, so they attributed it to evil spirits or bad omens. Some even thought the egg was fertilized or that the chicken was sick.
As more was learned about chickens, we now know that occasionally, a small blood vessel in the hen’s reproductive tract ruptures during egg laying, causing a tiny bit of blood to end up in the egg. This is harmless to both the chicken and the egg, but the old myth has persisted.
Different Cultural Takes
Variations of the superstition exist in many cultures. Some say it foretells tragedy or warns of danger ahead. Others believe it signifies good fortune or prosperity is coming your way. In certain European, Asian, and Middle Eastern cultures, a blood spot in an egg is thought to ward off evil.
No matter the culture, this age-old superstition continues to make some uneasy when cracking open an egg to find that familiar red spot. While we now understand the biological reason for its occurrence, for many, there remains an ominous feeling that can’t be shaken when seeing blood in an egg (myself included.)
A Sign of Good Luck
Finding blood in an egg is actually considered a symbol of good luck. This may come as a surprise, but blood spots in eggs are extremely rare, occurring in only about 1% of eggs. Therefore, it is understandable why it is believed to bring good fortune.
If you have ever experienced this, consider yourself fortunate! By the way, if you were to come across blood in an egg again, it is highly unlikely to happen on a regular basis due to its rarity!
Folklore Around Blood Spots In Eggs
According to legend, an egg with blood spots means that the hen was frightened or stressed while laying it. Supposedly, the fright caused the hen’s blood to enter the egg. Some say that eating an egg with blood spots will make you irritable or give you bad dreams. None of this is actually true.
According to another tale, it was believed that if a woman cracked an egg and found it to be bloody, she would experience a miscarriage or lose her already-born baby. This particular superstition is rather eerie and unsettling, and like many other superstitions, it lacks any factual basis and should be disregarded.
Cracked An Egg, And It Was Bloody? Nothing To Worry About!
If you find blood in an egg, no need to call the local priest for an exorcism or toss the eggs out in fear of some ominous omen. Eggs with blood spots are perfectly safe to eat, and the blood is not a sign that the egg has gone bad or the chicken is sick.
While the old wives’ tales may endure, you can rest easy knowing the science proves there’s no real meaning or superstition behind a little egg blood. Crack open another egg and fry it up – your breakfast will be no less delicious, and the world will keep turning just the same.
