Did grandmothers ever suck eggs?

Question

What is the root of the saying? Just a joke, or did old women ever suck eggs, and if so, why?

Answer 1

According to various on line resources, “Teach one’s grandmother to suck eggs” means to “patronize someone” or to “presume to advise someone who is more experienced.”

The saying has been around at lease since before 1885 - as that is when this narration about the saying was written. http://essays.quotidiana.org/guiney/teac...

Answer 2

I don't know about whether they sucked eggs or not but I was told that women long time ago used to suck the snot out of their baby's nose to relieve the baby from nose congestion.  Now, that's pretty gross.  Worse than sucking eggs, I think.

Answer 3

Until quite recently most people lost most of their teeth by about 40 or so, and there were no such things as dentures.  This made it extemely difficult, in that pre-blender era, for old people (those 40 and upwards) to get enough protein.  Eggs were a reliable source of protein which could be easily transported, and so yes, old people sucked eggs.

Answer 4

I suppose everybody knows how to suck eggs, and Granny's have many years of experience (not just in sucking eggs) in many aspects.

Teaching your Gran to suck eggs would be teaching Her something she already knows - and therefore a waste of time!

Where it comes from I've no idea. BRISTOL?