Is It Safe and Healthy to Drink Raw Eggs?

Last updated on February 11th, 2024 at 01:13 pm

10 minutes read.

Raw eggs contain slightly more nutrients than cooked eggs.

Biochemically, drinking or eating raw eggs offers no major advantages over eating poached or hard-boiled eggs.

Well, it may surprise you when you hear some celebrities, athletes, and bodybuilders that consume much energy on the cost of training and exercise advocating for drinking raw eggs as the best, probably because it’s slightly high in protein.

Eggs have been known as one of the best sources of animal protein out there.

In this article am going to teach you everything you need to know about raw eggs in 10 minutes.

Feel free to skim through if any of the topics catch your eye.

• Raw Eggs Nutrition Facts
• Seven Health Benefits of Raw Eggs
• Health Risk of Drinking Raw Eggs
• How to Drink Raw Eggs?
• Is Raw Egg Safe for Children, the Elderly, or Pregnant Women?
• Signs and Symptoms of Salmonella
• How to Prevent Salmonella Infection
• What is Pasteurize Eggs?
• How do Eggs get Salmonella infection?
• Is It Safe and Healthy to Drink Raw Eggs?
• Conclusion

Raw Eggs Nutrition Facts

Raw eggs have a vast array of nutrients, though the health benefits of eggs are fairly obvious.

Whether you’re consuming chicken, duck, or quail raw eggs, all eggs can provide you with a variety of nutrients.

According to a study by the United State Department of Agriculture, each large raw egg (50 grams) contains about a dozen different macronutrients and micronutrients.

Raw Eggs Macronutrients;

• 72 Calories
• 6.3 grams of protein
• 0.4 gram of carbohydrates
• 4.8 grams of fat (mostly omega fatty acid)

Raw Eggs Micronutrients;

• 9 percent of vitamin A (daily value)
• 18 percent of riboflavin-vitamin B2 (daily value)
• 15 percent of vitamin B5 (daily value)
• 5 percent of vitamin B6 (daily value)
• 6 percent of folic acid-vitamin B9 (daily value)
• 19 percent of vitamin B12 (daily value)
• 5 percent of vitamin D (daily value)
• 27 percent of choline (daily value)
• 5 percent of iron (daily value)
• 8 percent of phosphorus (daily value)
• 28 percent of selenium (daily value)
• 6 percent of zinc (daily value)
• 1 percent of magnesium (daily value)
• 2 percent of calcium (daily value)

Note that almost all these nutrients are concentrated in the yolk. The egg white is more protein.

Seven Health Benefits of Raw Eggs.

Eating raw eggs has its fair share of health advantages.

Let’s look at seven essential health benefits of consuming raw eggs;

1.Brain Function

Raw eggs contain a high amount of choline, which is an essential factor in brain function.

 Choline, a nutrient found in high concentration in the raw egg, can optimize brain development in the fetus and newborn, lower the risk of neural tube defects, reduces heart disease risk, and lower breast cancer risk.

Just one egg in the morning can provide you with a sufficient dose of choline.

Apart from being a great source of choline, eggs are rich in healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are excellent for your brain health because they can help with brain cell survival and repair as well as protect against neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease

As a bonus, raw eggs help your Brain function with several B vitamins, including vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and folate, which are essential for healthy brain function, says a February 2016 review in Nutrient.

2. Strengthen Immune System

Eggs contain high levels of vitamin A and vitamin B12, both of which play key roles in strengthening the immune system.

By offering an abundance of vitamin A, vitamin B12, antioxidants, and other vital nutrients, eggs can supply your body with the building blocks it needs to form a well-defended immune system.

Strengthening your immune system can protect you from getting sick during cold and flu season as well as make it easier for your body to fight off illness in general.

3. Vision

Of the many essential nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants found in raw eggs, lutein and zeaxanthin are two of the most beneficial components for your eye health.

These two powerful carotenoids protect your eyes and make eye-related diseases less likely to occur.

 Also, lutein and zeaxanthin have also been shown to lessen the risk of other health conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

4. Heart Health

Raw eggs can help your heart out by providing it with high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the “good” kind of cholesterol.

High HDL cholesterol can help protect your heart from the bad kind of cholesterol, which is known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL).

However, be mindful that raw eggs are full of both kinds of cholesterol, so you will want to limit your consumption of raw eggs to keep your intake of LDL low.

Raw eggs are also packed with fatty acids, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which enhance heart health by bringing down bad cholesterol levels.

The antioxidants and carotenoids found in raw eggs can also help decrease the risk of heart disease.

5. High Source of Protein

Raw eggs are rich in protein. It contains all nine essential amino acids.

 In particular, eggs contain plenty of protein, which is considered a complete source of essential amino acids.

 These essential amino acids will give you more energy to work with throughout the day to avoid feeling burnt out.

Your body uses dietary proteins to build and repair tissues as well as to

produce hormones and enzymes.

6. Rich Source of Antioxidants

Raw eggs contain high antioxidants.

Antioxidants help reduce cell damage from free radicals and are widely considered to be a crucial part of a nutritious diet.

7. Improve Skin Health

You will be surprised to learn that Chicken eggs have advanced from food to skin health therapy.

Raw eggs make your skin healthier and fresher.

Besides protecting eye health by filtering out certain light wavelengths, lutein and zeaxanthin found in the egg’s nutrition profile also help keep your skin healthy as well.

Now you know what your body can gain from drinking raw eggs.

Are you excited and feel like cracking one?

Guess what!  Everything that has advantages has disadvantages.

Let’s find out the potential health risk of drinking raw eggs.

What is the Health Risk of Drinking Raw eggs?

1.Salmonella Bacteria

The main health concern of eating raw eggs is the risk of salmonella.

Salmonella can only be killed with heat or changes in pH ( that’s changing the acid-alkaline balance when pickling or curing).

Raw eggshells can be contaminated with salmonella.

Salmonella is one of the bacteria that cause most food poison and can be a serious health issue for some persons.

Does it mean there’s no hope for you if raw eggs are your favorite?  Nop! There’s still hope.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommend you should go for pasteurized eggs if you choose to drink raw eggs.

The agency further says   “One egg out of every 20,000 eggs might be contaminated with Salmonella which can lead to food poisoning”

This implies that the risk of getting infected with Salmonella is low.

2. Decrease in Protein Absorption

I have personal experience a decrease in protein absorption due to the intake of raw eggs.

According to one very small, much older study, eating eggs raw may decrease your absorption of quality proteins in the eggs.

The study compared the absorption of protein from both cooked and raw eggs in 5 people and found that 90% of the protein in cooked eggs was absorbed, while only 50% of the protein in raw eggs was absorbed.

This means that even though there might be more nutrients in raw eggs, they may be less healthy because your body might struggle to absorb them when they haven’t been cooked.

On the other hand, have you ever observed that overcooked, fried, and hard-boiled eggs are more difficult for your body system to absorb compared to lightly cooked eggs, like soft-boiled eggs or scrambled eggs?

Let me share this with you.

Raw and hard-boiled eggs use to be my favorite egg recipe, after some years I realized my body system always struggled to absorb the protein, giving me stomach cramps or releasing unpleasant gas.

Each time I take hard-boiled, deep-fried, or raw eggs I will be polluting the air with unpleasant gas.

One day I tried scrambling or soft boiling my eggs for 15 minutes and I felt more comfortable after eating.

Absorption was quite smooth. I don’t have to pollute the air anymore and up to date, that’s the method I have been using to enjoy my egg recipes. It’s true.

Overcooking eggs may cause glycotoxins in your food. Glycation products are formed during smoking and cooking food at high temperatures and then received exogenously as mycotoxin in the body

 Corrie staff, a Marshfield Clinical registered dietitian says “cooking breaks down protein to make digestion easier. Our bodies absorb 50 to 60 percent of the protein in raw eggs compared to 90 percent absorption of the protein in cooked eggs”

Well, this issue with absorption is something to consider if raw eggs are your favorite, but the size and date of the above-mentioned study make it impossible to draw any real conclusions.

3. Hinder Biotin Absorption

Raw egg whites may hinder biotin absorption.

Biotin is a water-soluble B vitamin, also known as vitamin B7.

This vitamin is involved in your body’s production of glucose and fatty acids. It’s also important during pregnancy. Biotin is found in the raw egg yolk.

Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin.

Avidin binds to biotin in the small intestine, preventing its absorption.

Fortunately, heat destroys avidin, so once you lightly cook the eggs as it supposes you’re covered.

But does it mean if you eat raw eggs your body would lack biotin, as it may be hindered by avidin?  

Nop! There’s still hope.

Biotin inhibition is less likely to happen, for that to happen, you would need to consume raw eggs in large amounts every day.

Now you know the pros and cons of drinking raw eggs. If you still consider opting for raw eggs let me help to teach you the safest method to follow.

 How to Drink Raw Eggs

Now the big question is “How can I still enjoy my raw eggs without getting infected?”

The most important thing you should have in mind is that raw eggs should be consumed immediately after preparing them.

When an egg is cracked, there is a risk that any Salmonella bacteria on the shell can touch the egg white and end up in the bowl.

This risk grows when a piece of broken eggshell falls into the raw egg(s)

Bacteria such as Salmonella need time to grow (replicate) so how quickly you drink the raw eggs whether it’s refrigerated before and after really matters.

To be safe from this bacteria, buy fresh pasteurized eggs, and make sure you thoroughly wash the kitchen utensils for preparation before and after.

 Then crack the raw egg into the cup and drink immediately.

If in any case the eggs are not pasteurized, make sure is a fresh egg coming directly from hygienic poultry.

And after purchasing the eggs, make sure you properly wash the whole eggshell before cracking in your glass cup. and take proper precautions not to allow the eggshell to fall into the egg white.

 But if by mistake any shell falls into the egg white, better discard everything and crack another one being more careful.

Also if you want to prepare any of your favorite raw egg recipes at home (for example, dough, cakes, mayonnaise, etc) make sure you follow the basic precautions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use in-shell raw eggs if they are pasteurized.

You’re now excited and you feel like going to crack one egg. Really?

 Let me disappoint you.

 Raw eggs are not for everybody.

Some persons are at a very higher risk of getting salmonella infection when consuming raw eggs.

This brings us closer to answering the next question.

Related: What is LDL cholesterol?  Symptoms, Causes & More

Related: Top List of Foods to Boost Your Immune System

Is Raw Egg Safe for Children, the Elderly, or Pregnant Women?

To be more precise here, anyone who unknowingly consumes an egg contaminated with salmonella can get food poisoning.

But certain groups of people are at a higher risk of developing a more severe case of food poisoning or intestinal infections.

 For some persons, salmonella can lead to serious or even fatal consequences.

Those who are mostly at high risk of a severe illness due to salmonella include:

Infants and young children.

 Due to the fact that babies and young children have immature immune systems, they are more susceptible to infections from salmonella.

Pregnant women: In rare cases, contracting salmonella can result in premature birth or stillbirth.

Elderly people: Adults over the age of 65 are more likely to die from a foodborne illness infection.

Typically, older adults are at a higher risk of fatality because of age-related changes in the digestive system and malnutrition.

Immunocompromised individuals: Those with a chronic disease are more vulnerable to life-threatening salmonella infections because their immune systems are weaker.

In particular, people with HIV/AIDS, diabetes, or cancer, as well as transplant patients, are at a higher risk.

So if you know anyone who falls into one of the categories listed above share this information with the person.

To minimize the risk of salmonella, make sure the raw eggs served to young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with compromised immune systems are pasteurized whenever possible.

Signs and Symptoms of Salmonella

Symptoms of food poisoning from salmonella usually occur within six hours to six days after being exposed to the harmful bacteria.

In most cases, food poisoning symptoms last about four to seven days, and people get recovered without antibiotics.

On the other hand, paying close attention to the symptoms and signs of salmonella can help prevent a case of food poisoning from becoming severe.

These include the following;

• Fever                                       
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal upset
• Vomiting

But note, if a case of food poisoning includes the following;

• Vomiting for more than two days.
• Diarrhea that lasts more than two days without a sign of recovery.
• Signs of dehydration, such as excessive thirst, an extremely dry mouth, dizziness, lightheadedness, little to no urination, or very dark urine
• A fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit
• Bloody stool

Please contact your medical professional immediately.

How to Prevent Salmonella Infection

Let me clearly state this, “it’s not possible to totally eliminate the risk of foodborne illness due to consuming raw eggs”

However, there’re ways to reduce it.

Don’t go anywhere stay with me a second let me show you how.

The precautions you need to take include:

• Buy pasteurized eggs and egg products whenever possible.
• Only purchase eggs kept in the refrigerated food section of the supermarket.
• Keep your eggs refrigerated at home — storing them at room temperature can induce the growth of harmful bacteria more rapidly.
• Store your eggs in their carton inside the refrigerator, not in the door of the refrigerator, which is the warmest part of any fridge.
• Do not buy, eat, or cook with any eggs that have passed their expiration date.
• Dispose of any dirty or cracked eggs.
• Always wash your hands with soap and water both before and after cooking with raw eggs.
• Bake or cook all raw dough and batters, such as cookie dough or cake mix, before consuming them (don’t do testing in the kitchen before baking)
• Do not allow children to play with or eat raw dough, including dough used for arts and crafts.
• Thoroughly clean up and wash all bowls, utensils, and cooking surfaces after handling raw eggs.

Taking all these precautions can help limit the risk of salmonella.

What are Pasteurize Eggs?

Pasteurized eggs are fresh raw eggs that have been treated with mild heat to destroy microbes on the eggs for safety consumption and quality keeping.

Pasteurization is often employed to prevent the possibility of Salmonella contamination in eggs.

This process uses a heating treatment to reduce the number of bacteria and other microorganisms in foods.

How do Eggs contact Salmonella Infection?

Salmonella can get on the shells of eggs when birds lay eggs or when the eggs touch the bird dropping (poop) after being laid.

This is not a problem for commercial eggs (for example eggs you purchase from the grocery store) may be safe because companies wash eggs before they reach stores.

Is being an awesome experience right? Please don’t go away yet, let’s answer the final question.

Is It Safe and Healthy to Drink Raw Eggs?

From all you’ve learned today, I believe the answer to this question is very clear. But if you’re still a bit confused let me help you.

YES, it’s safe to consume raw eggs but if you choose to drink raw eggs, you must be ready to follow all the required precautions I mentioned earlier and understand all the risks.

With any egg, there is always a low-level risk of Salmonella bacteria being present on the eggshell exterior.

And remember, this has nothing to do with free-range versus cage, or commercial egg farm versus backyard chook, it’s a risk that exists in all poultry products.

Phew! That was a lot of valuable information about raw eggs, I appreciate the time you spend with me.

Conclusion

Raw eggs contain slightly more nutrients than cooked eggs, however, it offers not many nutrient benefits as boiled eggs do. Understand that It’s quite easier for your body to digest and absorb the nutrients in soft-boiled eggs, scrambled or poached eggs than raw eggs.

This may be the reason you sometimes release unpleasant gas after eating an egg recipe.  Overcooking eggs may introduce glycotoxins in your food.

Raw egg whites may hinder biotin absorption in your body.

Ideally, I have tried both raw, deep-fried, and hard-boiled eggs for a couple of years and later realize that it’s true our body struggles to absorb the nutrients in raw and hard-boiled eggs when compared to soft or scrambled eggs.

Like boiled eggs, raw egg offers a high source of protein and other beneficial nutrients. It offers your body a lot of health benefits ranging from improving your brain function, strengthening immunity, vision, and a healthy heart, and supplying antioxidants with vitamins.

Salmonella is a food-poisoning bacteria that can be killed instantly at 74 degree Celsius. Softly cooking or scrambling eggs for 15 minutes will kill the salmonella effect.

Dishes containing uncooked eggs are more susceptible to being contaminated with salmonella bacteria. Once you break an egg, prepare it quickly, if you cannot fish it, safely store it in the fridge.

Salmonella risk can be minimized by throwing out cracked or dirty eggs.

Store all the eggs immediately and safely in the fridge inside the carton they came in, and discard any eggs once they reach their best-before date.

Vulnerable people or those with compromised immune systems – including children, pregnant women, and elderly people – should not eat foods that contain raw eggs. 

If you choose to drink raw eggs, go for pasteurized eggs and abide by all the precautions for a quality lifestyle.

I hope you get the value worth your time, I appreciate the time you spend with me. Leave a comment below if you find this article helpful and don’t forget to drop your question, opinion, or criticism if any. Cheers!

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