Raw Eggs: Are There Health Benefits? (2024)

Eating raw eggs can be a quick way to get a lot of protein. If you are consuming raw eggs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends using pasteurized eggs. These eggs have been heated up enough to kill the Salmonella bacteria that was potentially inside.

Nutrition Information

Raw eggs are rich in protein and other micronutrients. The fatty acids they have can help your metabolism. They contain most of the essential amino acids, and one egg provides 27% of the daily choline requirements.

They're also an excellent source of:

  • Calcium
  • Phosphorous
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D

One raw egg contains:

  • 72 calories
  • 6 grams of protein
  • 5 grams of fat
  • 186 milligrams of cholesterol

Potential Health Benefits of Raw Eggs

There are many vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants found in raw eggs. Lutein and zeaxanthin are two important antioxidants that protect your eyes and make eye-related diseases less likely.

In addition, raw eggs can also:

Help your heart. Eggs are filled with HDL or "good" cholesterol. High HDL cholesterol protects your heart from LDL, the bad cholesterol. Eggs are full of both types of cholesterol, so it’s important to limit the good so you can also limit the bad. Eggs are also full of fatty acids, like Omega-3s, which bring down the bad cholesterol levels.

Help your brain work better. The high amounts of choline found in eggs are important factors of brain function. Eggs are nutrient dense and just one egg is an excellent source of choline.

Strengthen your immune system. Vitamin A and vitamin B-12 are found in eggs along with other nutrients and antioxidants that make up a well-defended immune system.

Give you more energy. Eggs are packed with nutrients that make you feel full and energized. They are rich sources of protein and considered a complete source of essential amino acids.

Potential Risks of Raw Eggs

Eating raw eggs can be potentially dangerous if they contain Salmonella. About one in 20,000 eggs does. Salmonella is a bacteria commonly found in food that causes diarrhea, fever, cramps, and vomiting.

In serious cases, you can develop chronic, severe, or life-threatening health problems from eating food-borne bacteria. Salmonella causes about 30 deaths in the United States each year. You’ll usually experience illness 1 to 3 days after eating food contaminated with bacteria. However, you can get sick anywhere between 20 minutes and 6 weeks after you have it.

Usually, cooking eggs thoroughly will kill the bacteria. If you use a recipe that requires raw or undercooked eggs, make sure you only use eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella through pasteurization or pasteurized egg products.

Healthy Alternatives

If you're choosing raw eggs because of the protein punch, it might surprise you that cooked eggs can actually give your body more protein.

Cooking eggs breaks down the protein, making it easier for you to digest, which means your body will have more protein to use.

Raw Eggs: Are There Health Benefits? (2024)

FAQs

Raw Eggs: Are There Health Benefits? ›

Nutrition Information

Are there any benefits to raw eggs? ›

Choline is an essential nutrient for healthy brain and heart health. So when using eggs in the daily menu can help promote brain health and cardiovascular system. Besides, raw eggs are also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which help protect our eyes.

How many raw eggs can you eat a day? ›

For a healthy adult with normal cholesterol levels and no significant underlying heart disease risk factors, some research suggests that 1–2 eggs per day can be safe. It may even be healthy and benefit your heart health ( 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ).

Is raw egg good for gut health? ›

Eggs are high in vitamin D, which is really useful for gut health, particularly in those with leaky gut syndrome.

What diseases do raw eggs carry? ›

Fresh eggs, even those with clean, uncracked shells, may contain bacteria called Salmonella that can cause foodborne illness, often called “food poisoning.” FDA has put regulations in place to help prevent contamination of eggs on the farm and during shipping and storage, but consumers also play a key role in ...

Does drinking raw eggs increase testosterone? ›

While consuming either whole eggs or egg whites increased testosterone levels, those who consumed the whole eggs experienced a greater increase in testosterone levels compared to those who consumed the egg whites. It's interesting to note that the vitamin D in eggs is contained in the yolk—not the whites.

Does drinking raw eggs help build muscle? ›

However, for the muscle growth response (i.e., muscle protein synthesis), no differences between raw or boiled egg ingestion were detected. Therefore, if the goal is muscle growth, raw or cooked eggs may work equally well.

What is the best way to eat raw eggs? ›

If you do choose to consume raw eggs, make sure they are pasteurized to reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Keep your raw pasteurized eggs in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. The refrigerator's cold temperatures will make it harder for bacteria to grow on the eggs' shells.

Is it OK to eat raw eggs every day? ›

Raw eggs aren't safe to eat if they're unpasteurized. That means they could contain harmful bacteria. And even though eggs can be sold as pasteurized — meaning they're heated just enough so bacteria is killed off — you still shouldn't crack open an egg and start chowing down.

Who should not eat raw eggs? ›

Eating raw eggs also comes with a small risk of Salmonella food poisoning; however, there are steps you can take to minimise this risk to a very low level. Children, pregnant women, elderly people, and others with weak immune systems should definitely avoid raw eggs.

Is raw egg good for men? ›

Raw eggs shouldn't be consumed by people over 65, those with weakened immune systems, diabetes, HIV, or melanoma. Men should not consume excessive amounts of eggs because they are heavy in protein and cholesterol.

What is the healthiest way to eat eggs? ›

Overall, shorter and lower-heat cooking methods cause less cholesterol oxidation and help retain most of the egg's nutrients. For this reason, poached and boiled (either hard or soft) eggs may be the healthiest to eat. These cooking methods also don't add any unnecessary calories.

What are the odds of getting sick from raw eggs? ›

Salmonella doesn't make the hen sick. Eggs are washed and sanitized at the processing plant. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Persons infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.

What parasite is in raw eggs? ›

ABSTRACT Several worm parasites have been detected within market eggs. The intestinal nematode (Ascaridia galli) has been reported most frequently. Cecal worms (Heterakis spp.), oviduct flukes (Prosthogonimus spp.) and a tapeworm (Cestoda) also have been recovered from eggs.

Why is raw egg in mayonnaise safe? ›

The United States Department of Agriculture does not recommend eating raw shell eggs that are not cooked or undercooked due to the possibility that Salmonella bacteria may be present. However, homemade mayonnaise can be safely made if raw, in-shell pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products are used.

Why shouldn't you eat raw eggs? ›

Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious foods. But eggs can make you sick if you do not handle and cook them properly. That's because eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.

Why do Japanese eat raw eggs? ›

The most distinctive characteristic is the use of “raw” eggs. Compared to other countries, eggs in Japan are considered to be much less contaminated by salmonella, one of the causes of food poisoning, and therefore raw eggs can be eaten without worry. The most popular way to eat raw eggs is “Tamagokakegohan” (TKG).

What are the odds of getting Salmonella from raw eggs? ›

Eggs are washed and sanitized at the processing plant. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Persons infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.

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