Is it OK to eat raw eggs?

eggs, white, yellow

Eggs are a nutritional goldmine. In addition to being a high-quality protein source, it also has 13 essential vitamins and minerals, including choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Cooked eggs and raw eggs have the same health benefits however the amount of proteins in the raw and cooked eggs remains unchanged but raw eggs contain 36% more vitamin D, 10% more Zinc, and 23% more Choline than cooked version.

Cooking eggs do make proteins more bio-available for absorption. While only 50 to 60 percent of the protein in raw eggs can be absorbed, almost 90% of the protein can be absorbed in its cooked form.

Additionally, Cooked eggs do provide more biotin, which is essential in keeping hair, nail, and nervous system healthy. While egg yolks are an excellent dietary source of biotin, avidin present in the raw egg whites makes it harder for biotin to get absorbed by the body. Since Advin gets destroyed by heat, cooked eggs are a better source of biotin than the raw version.

Eating raw unpasteurized eggs do raise concerns about the risk of getting Salmonella infection. For healthy people, the related risk can be reduced by using pasteurized eggs as pasteurization significantly reduces Salmonella contamination while preserving the flavor and nutritional content of the egg. Avoiding using cracked or dirty eggs and not consuming eggs past expiration dates can reduce most of the infection risk. Refrigeration can help in preventing bacterial growth on the shells. Older adults, pregnant women, infants, and immunocompromised people should avoid eating raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs.

Cooked eggs do offer more nutritional benefits over raw eggs and help avoid foodborne illness. Still, if you prefer raw eggs, you can cook the egg whites and consume the yolk raw for optimal biotin absorption and get the best out of both worlds.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.