Drinking raw eggs: Doctor explains dangers for health
Illustrative photo (Photo: Freepik)
Eggs are considered a unique source of a whole range of beneficial vitamins and minerals for the body. However, people often prefer to consume raw eggs. This habit can be dangerous to health, according to the Live Strong website.
You can get infected with salmonella
Doctor of Medical Sciences Jennifer Gilbert explains that salmonella is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of animals, including domestic birds, and it can contaminate the inside of an egg before the shell forms.
This shell can also be contaminated with salmonella after the eggs are laid.
Symptoms of infection include:
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- fever
- abdominal cramps
Salmonella is most dangerous for children under 5 years old, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems.
You won't get protein from eggs
People can absorb about 90% of the protein from cooked eggs and only about 50% from raw ones.
This may happen due to the enzyme trypsin, which breaks down proteins but can be inhibited by other enzymes found in raw eggs. Heat can destroy trypsin inhibitors, allowing the protein to be better absorbed.
You won't be able to absorb much biotin
Raw eggs contain a specific protein called avidin, which can inhibit the absorption of biotin - vitamin B7. But boiling eggs helps to destroy avidin, so if you want to get vitamins.
Benefits of eating raw eggs
Eye health
Eggs contain carotenoids, which have antioxidant properties. Other nutrients can also be found - for example, vitamin A, which can support eye health.
Source of choline
Many people consume insufficient choline to meet their daily needs.
It is important to remember that choline remains a very important nutrient. High choline intake is associated with a reduced risk of strokes.
Jennifer Gilbert notes that it is better to avoid eating raw eggs. All because consuming raw eggs can expose you to the risk of salmonella poisoning.
We also wrote about when to eat eggs to lose weight.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
