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Raw Eggs Good or Bad

Is it ok to eat raw eggs for breakfast?
(July 26, 2010)

There are a lot of people who feel that consuming raw eggs can be a great way to get high quality proteins as well as fats in their diet. When the eggs are heated the chemical composition and the properties of the egg proteins change. When the protein structure of the eggs is changed, it can easily cause allergies. The cooking process also causes the destruction of other micronutrients in the eggs.

One of the biggest objections to consuming raw eggs is salmonella poisoning. Raw eggs have a high risk of being infected with the bacteria called salmonella.


Salmonella can cause serious infection when consumed and some of the symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, fever, chills, and abdominal pain. Though salmonella can affect anyone, it is most likely to infect those who have a compromised immune system. Children, the elderly, and people suffering from long term illnesses or immune disorders are more prone to salmonella than regular healthy people. Salmonella is usually a benign and self limiting illness when it comes to healthy people.
Though it is commonly considered that raw eggs can cause salmonella, if the studies are closely looked at, it can be seen that raw eggs cause less salmonella poisonings than they are reputedly associated with. The risk of getting salmonella poisoning from raw eggs is lesser than is popularly perceived. A recent study indicates that only 0.003% of the eggs in the US are infected with salmonella. An average person is most likely to come across a contaminated egg only once in 42 years.

There is also a concern that consuming raw eggs can cause you to suffer from biotin deficiency. There is a glycoprotein known as avidin contained in egg whites and it is avidin which binds a vital B vitamin known as biotin. When the eggs are cooked, avidin is deactivated and the biotin is available to be absorbed by the body. When a person consumes too many egg whites in the raw form, it can cause biotin deficiency. However, the egg yolk contains high quantities of biotin. In fact, egg yolk has the highest concentration of biotin. If you consume the entire egg in the raw form, it can help contain the biotin deficiency.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If possible, consult a dietician to learn more about the pros and cons of consuming raw eggs for breakfast and the other viable alternatives to raw eggs.
Submitted by C N on July 26, 2010 at 12:33

 

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