Is it safe? Is it wise?
I used to drink eggs raw everymorning when i was younger. I couldnt afford protein powder. They did the job, I never got sick or suffered any ill effects.
But i have heard of people who have gotten sick from drinking them.
I know that there are a couple of other threads on this site that discuss the topic in detail so you might want to do a search. You should be able to get some good info.
One concern would definitely be catching salmonellae. I believe the danger is less severe now due to improved hygiene measures in egg production, the vaccination of laying hens etc., though.
I’ve been doing this for almost two years now. I started because I couldn’t afford protein powder but quit frankly until I notice any ill effects I’ll probably continue indefinitely. I actually lost 10lbs doing this. I often mix it with orange juice to help with flavour and to add some vitamin C and simple sugars. About half a dozen every morning. At first I thought I was one of the only people doing this, but I am encountering more and more people who follow the same practice. While there may some risk of contamination, if I haven’t had any problems after two years it gives you an idea of how minimal the risk is. In fact I’d say most food warnings are overblown.
Should be OK if you keep them fresh. Lots of people do it and have done so every day for decades. I’ve heard that cooking them even just ever so slightly kills the germs, I am not suggesting you cook them, just that the germs if there are any are pretty weak. This isn’t very scientific of course. One thing though, I wouldn’t mix up a drink then leave it sitting around for 30 mins. Crack the egg, add it, drink it - no waiting.
I might be wrong but I think I read somewhere, long time ago, that raw eggs contain some enzyme or something that prevents our bodies to utilize all the protein. Just running hot water over them for a couple of minutes was supposed to be enough to “change” the enzyme so all protein could be used. No need to boil them, just using hot water from the tap long enough to get the egg warm.
Claes
The raw eggs contain avidin in the whites that will bind to the biotin in your body and create a biotin deficiency. You probably want to start taking biotin supplements…
Common symptoms of biotin deficiency include:
* Brittle fingernails
* Thinning hair and/or loss of hair color
* A red, scaly rash around the eyes, nose and mouth
Less common symptoms of biotin deficiency include:
* Depression
* Lethargy
* Hallucinations
* Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet
[quote]Tango-down wrote:
The raw eggs contain avidin in the whites that will bind to the biotin in your body and create a biotin deficiency. You probably want to start taking biotin supplements…
Common symptoms of biotin deficiency include:
* Brittle fingernails
* Thinning hair and/or loss of hair color
* A red, scaly rash around the eyes, nose and mouth
Less common symptoms of biotin deficiency include:
* Depression
* Lethargy
* Hallucinations
* Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet[/quote]
My understanding is that egg yolks contain loads of biotin, making avidin a non problem. Atleast thats what Dr. Mercola says on his website. Don’t know if he is right or not though.
For the record, I LOVE drinking eggs. It’s convenient, economical, and I actually enjoy the taste.
Last year when I started the Anabolic Diet I was drinking a 1-1.5 dozen raw eggs a day. Yes, that’s 12-18 eggs.
After 4 or 5 months of this, MY HAIR STARTED TO FALL OUT!!! Not just ‘thinning’, but I had a couple of seemingly random bald spots across on the back of my head. What was really weird was that it was not male-pattern baldness, this was confirmed by the dermatologist as well as the fact that there is no cases of balding on either side of my family.
Long story short, after getting multiple rounds of cortizone shots into my head (the MD thought it was an immune-response alopecia areata), I read about the whole raw eggs/biotin deficiency thing. I stopped the raw eggs and began biotin supplementation.
After a few weeks of the supplementation, the hair grew back and my bald spot is gone and everything seems back to normal, albeit I’m convinced my hair is still thinner in those spots.
I still eat a lot of eggs, I just cook them now.
BTW, I believe Mercola revised his stance on raw eggs, I think he now cautions in the overeating of raw eggs.
Clumps of your hair falling out, and weird bald spots on your head is something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.
[quote]grappler wrote:
After 4 or 5 months of this, MY HAIR STARTED TO FALL OUT!!! Not just ‘thinning’, but I had a couple of seemingly random bald spots across on the back of my head. What was really weird was that it was not male-pattern baldness, this was confirmed by the dermatologist as well as the fact that there is no cases of balding on either side of my family.[/quote]
I wonder if this side affect might have something to do with the classic “heavy lifter” look being a shaved bald head…some people try to hide baldness, and others embrace it! Just kidding, but it makes you wonder…
About drinking eggs, I have been wondering what it would be like to blend boiled eggs. My wife had the kids make 3 dozen Easter eggs, and I’m STILL EATING THEM! Aaaargh!
Yesterday, I seized the moment and threw a few in the blender with some Grow! and a banana. The egg taste was quite mild, and the texture didn’t change much either. Blending boiled eggs seems like a good idea to me.
[quote]Hawkson101 wrote:
Is it safe? Is it wise?[/quote]
Dude, I e-mailed Dr.Berardi directly with this same question.
Turns out raw eggs are not digested/absorbed as well as cooked.
grappler that was very, very interesting. Are you still consuming eggs in those vast quantities?
My father in law swears by a raw egg every day for the past 40-50 years. He still has lots of hair … but he is only eating one or two a day I think. So maybe there is something to that biotin problem if you eat tonnes of them.
Why so many eggs though they ain’t that cheap?
Another thing is, do not overcook the eggs, that screws the proteins up a bit. Don’t eat those plasticy eggs all fried. Keep them a bit soft gooey runny.
God bless those chickens.
[quote]Magarhe wrote:
Another thing is, do not overcook the eggs, that screws the proteins up a bit. Don’t eat those plasticy eggs all fried. Keep them a bit soft gooey runny.
[/quote]
Sounds like Soft Boiled is the way to go.
[quote]bitbit wrote:
Hawkson101 wrote:
Is it safe? Is it wise?
Dude, I e-mailed Dr.Berardi directly with this same question.
Turns out raw eggs are not digested/absorbed as well as cooked.
[/quote]
This is correct. Cooked eggs are better absorbed than raw.
Raw eggs can be very healthy.Just make sure they’re coming from healthy hens and you won’t get sick.If you can,try free range/organic eggs.
I drink them every single day.