Can You Drink Raw Eggs
You should not drink raw eggs. Drinking raw eggs puts you at risk of salmonella poisoning, which can lead to symptoms like diarrhea and cramps, and in severe cases, death. Eating raw eggs can increase the risk of contracting hepatitis A. Though raw eggs may not be good for all, they are also safe for some other people.
Raw eggs may contain Salmonella bacteria, according to FoodSafety.gov, and that could make you ill — and, in some cases, very sick. The insides of eggs, which look fine, may contain a germ called salmonella, which can make you sick, particularly if you are eating eggs raw or slightly cooked.
To learn about How To Preserve Figs, check out my article where I cover everything you need to know.
In cases in which laying hens are SE-positive, salmonella may also be present on the inside of an egg, since it is formed before the shell is developed. Live poultry may carry bacteria like salmonella that may contaminate the inside of eggs before the shell forms. When the egg is cracked, it is possible for any Salmonella bacteria on the shell to come into contact with the egg whites and get into your bowl.
| Benefits | Side effects |
| It contains proteins | Salmonella bacteria |
| It contains calories | These germs can spread from the birds to their eggs, If you eat raw or undercooked eggs, you can get sick |
Since salmonella bacteria usually lives on the shell, you can be confident in using eggs that have been pasteurized or otherwise treated. You also can purchase pasteurized eggs, which are heated just hot enough to kill salmonella but do not actually cook the eggs, significantly reducing your risk of Salmonella contamination. Choosing pasteurized eggs, which are sold at higher prices at supermarkets than normal commercial eggs, lowers your risk of salmonella contamination.
Conventional eggs, which comprise the vast majority of eggs found in regular grocery stores, carry a higher risk of salmonella, so I recommend not eating regular eggs raw. Fortunately, you can lower your salmonella risk by following proper food preparation protocols, or by simply not eating eggs raw at all. After reading all of the risks associated with consuming raw eggs, including the potential for developing salmonella poisoning, you might wonder whether that carton of eggs is worth having in your fridge at all.
There is some good news if you are more interested in eating runny eggs rather than raw ones: As long as you follow some simple guidelines, partially cooked eggs may be completely safe to eat. Eating eggs raw certainly has the potential to be more effective than cooking them, but – just like with any raw ingredients – eating or cooking foods using raw eggs carries certain risks. You may be relieved to hear that there are not actually health benefits of eating raw eggs compared with cooked eggs — in fact, there may be a slight health risk from eating raw eggs, whereas the primary risk of making an omelet is burning your bottom up when you forget your stove is on.
In fact, your body actually might absorb more protein and biotin from cooked eggs than it does from drinking them raw. According to a very small, very old study, eating eggs raw can reduce the absorption of those high-quality proteins. Although no relevant studies have been done in recent years, a small, but highly cited October 1998 study in aThe Journal of Nutritiona found that humans absorbed 90% of protein from cooked eggs, but only 50% from raw eggs.
It is possible to eat in-shell, pasteurized eggs without cooking them. According to FDA, large numbers of people get foodborne illnesses, some of whom also die, every year, after eating eggs that are contaminated with salmonella bacteria, which is a bacteria. Eating uncooked eggs can also reduce the ability to absorb essential proteins found in eggs, since proteins are more absorbable by cooked eggs, eating uncooked eggs may affect the ability to absorb biotin. The U.S. Department of Agriculture does not recommend people to eat unpasteurized, uncooked eggs, but it does say people can eat in-shell pasteurized eggs without cooking. Eating raw eggs also comes with a slight risk of salmonella food poisoning; however, there are steps that you can take to minimize that risk to very low levels.
Salmonella is a food poisoning bacterium which can be killed immediately at 74C, so eggs are always safe if cooked correctly. If an uncooked egg dish sits on a counter for several hours, the bacteria burden increases, and the risk of severe food poisoning increases. Even if the egg does indeed contain Salmonella bacteria, the amount present in the fresh-laid egg is likely to be low, and, if properly refrigerated and handled, the amount would not be sufficiently multiplied to cause illness in a healthy individual.
Even if it is not washed, your chances of getting Salmonella are extremely small, given research about pastured egg safety. While all these steps do help, one of the best ways to eliminate the risk of getting salmonella is by cooking eggs well.
By the way, if you’re interested in How To Preserve Jam, check out my article on that.
Salmonella risks can be minimized by discarding cracked or contaminated eggs, keeping them in their cardboard boxes that came with them right away in your refrigerator, and discarding any eggs after their best-by dates. Handling eggs after touching another food that contains salmonella, or stirring eggs with a salmonella-contaminated utensil, may contaminate your beverages. People who eat raw or undercooked eggs may contract Salmonella, which doctors also call Salmonellosis.
Summary Buying pasteurized, refrigerated eggs may reduce your risk of getting Salmonella. The nutritional profiles of raw eggs and those of cooked eggs share a few notable differences, including the fact that eating raw eggs or foods containing them has raised concerns about the risk of contracting Salmonella infections (1). People who are vulnerable to, or who have compromised, immune systems–including children, pregnant women, and older adults–should not eat foods that contain raw eggs.
People age 65 or older, those living with conditions that cause weak immune systems (such as cancer, HIV, or AIDS), or inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis or Crohns disease, should also be particularly careful about raw eggs. Tips For Food Safety, the Food and Drug Administration recommends keeping raw eggs at 40 degrees F. or lower, and using them within three weeks of purchase. Share on Pinterest Public health officials advise against eating unpasteurized, raw eggs because the bacteria that can cause disease can be present in the uncooked form. If you have never been ill with raw or undercooked eggs, and you do not suffer from allergies or intolerances, you might be wondering why so many people are cautioning you not to eat raw eggs.
We have all heard warnings about eating raw cookie dough, and about the dangers of the salmonella bacteria found in the eggs that go into them. Even though eggs may be sold pasteurized–meaning that they are heated just hot enough to destroy bacteria–you should not break an egg open and begin to chew on it. An added factor to consider is that egg whites, both raw and cooked, are more allergenic than the yolk, and can pose problems for people with autoimmune diseases. Salmonella Enteridis causes chills, diarrhea, muscular weakness, and dehydration, all of which are bad preludes to an important battle.
Is it safe to eat raw eggs?
When pasteurized, raw eggs are deemed safe to use by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Salmonella is a pathogenic bacteria that can result in food poisoning and may be present in raw eggs. Utilizing pasteurized eggs reduces the risk of getting infected with Salmonella.
Is it safe to drink raw egg white?
Salmonella bacteria could be present in raw egg whites. Salmonella can produce minor to serious side effects, some of which may require hospitalization. Eat completely cooked eggs to reduce exposure. If you do consume raw egg whites, make sure they have been pasteurized.
Can I put a raw egg in my smoothie?
Egg whites are a favorite of fitness enthusiasts because they provide superior, high-quality protein that is quickly utilized by the body for the development of muscle, improvement of immunological function, and promotion of health. Nearly any smoothie recipe can benefit from a quick and easy protein boost by adding raw egg whites.