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Why eating raw egg whites even from high-quality eggs is not a good idea despite the fact that consuming fresh, free-range yolks is a safe and healthy practice.
A common question from people who enjoy the superior nutrition of eggs on a regular basis is whether raw egg whites are safe to eat.
I posted a smoothie recipe that garnered several comments about this, so I thought I’d take a few words to answer.
Of course, I’m not talking about Egg Beaters or liquid egg whites from the store. Rather, this article is about whether the egg white from a real egg is healthy or even safe to consume without cooking.
It’s not really a matter of what is safe versus not safe … the entire egg is “safe” to eat raw if you obtain quality eggs. It is best to avoid eating commercial eggs raw due to the unsanitary conditions and crowded production methods that confined chickens are subjected to which increases salmonella risk.
The real question is whether egg whites are healthy to consume raw.
The egg yolk is a wonderful way to get healthy, unprocessed fats into the diet. Yolks from duck and goose eggs included! Loaded with enzymes along with brain-boosting and nervous system calming omega-3 fatty acids when chickens run free to peck for insects and grubs, raw egg yolks are healthy to use in smoothies, eggnog, ice cream, and other uncooked foods.
They, of course, are also healthy cooked. My favorite recipes using lots of them at once are creme brulee or traditional Welsh Rarebit.
And no, cooking egg yolks does not oxidize the cholesterol. Only the extreme heat/pressure conditions of factory processing that creates powdered eggs can do that.
What to do, then, with all the leftover egg whites if you are making a dish that requires only yolks? Can or should you use them raw?
Anti-Nutrients in Raw Egg Whites
Most people do not realize that raw egg white contains avidin and trypsin inhibitors. Duck egg whites also contain this anti-nutrient.
Avidin blocks the digestion of biotin, one of the B vitamins. The trypsin inhibitors make digestion of the protein in the egg white more difficult.
Both of these anti-nutrients are neutralized by cooking. As a result, it is best to reserve the egg whites for cooked dishes. This same rule also applies for the pinkish or reddish egg whites that backyard chicken keepers sometimes get.
Even though raw egg whites contain anti-nutrients, the amount doesn’t compare with aquafaba. This popular vegan egg substitute made from cooked chickpea water contains dangerous substances such as saponins, which contribute to the development of leaky gut according to scientific research. What’s more, the anti-nutrients won’t go away with cooking, so avoid it!
What About Whites from Fertilized Eggs?
There is information going around that raw egg whites are safe to eat if they are from fertilized eggs.
Unfortunately, this simply is not the case!
According to Sally Fallon Morell, President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, raw whites are still very hard to digest even if the egg is fertilized.
The bottom line is that no matter whether you use organic store eggs, unwashed/fertilized eggs from the farmer’s market, or those from your own hens, you should always cook the whites before eating them.
Ways to Use and Store Uncooked Egg Whites
So, if you are adding a lot of raw yolks to your smoothies, what to do with all those leftover whites?
My favorite way to use up lots of uncooked egg whites in a hurry is to make nutrient-dense, soaked waffles or delicious high protein cookies.
If you can’t use them right away, they store well in a glass container in the refrigerator for several days until you are ready to use them up.
One other salient point. The egg yolk actually contains about 43% of the protein in the egg. (source)
So don’t worry that leaving out the egg whites from your smoothies will leave it devoid of this macronutrient.
More Information
I understand they are “safe when finding good quality eggs” but let me pose this question, “how on earth can you trust you are finding good quality eggs?”
With the new twist and changes on “organic” per our USDA and FDA, how is good quality eggs found?
Salmonella is NOT a risk I am willing to take, but I found a good recipe that I’d like to try but RAW eggs has kinda steered me away for the above mentioned reasons.
I have thought of spraying my eggs down with a certified, toxic free (alcohol free) sanitizer.
Lots of research shows that Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide is great for cleaning raw veggies and fruits, I’m sure it could serve justice in cleaning eggs if It makes me feel better. 🙂
Input please?
I often throw away the egg whites due to digestion related issues (the yolk gives nutrients and makes up for the digestion required to “consume” it)
Plus the egg yolk tastes better!
sarah
thank you again for a great post . always wondered what to do with the egg whites. Re your waffle pan I can only find ones with non stick surfaces. Can I ask where you got yours? Also I wanted to ask you a question re bircher meusli. I soak my oats in whey and then make bircher meusli but I have been told it is bad to eat oats bot cooked. Would you agree with this and if so any ideas how to make it with cooked oats?
thank you as always
Lara
We save up the egg whites in the fridge and make the Meringues in Nourishing Traditions. They melt in your mouth, they are so good!
Thanks, again for furthering my education. I have often used whole eggs in our smoothies. Had no idea the whites might hinder nutrient absorption! I always thought if it was MADE with both the yolk and egg together, it must be okay to eat them together. I’m printing out this post! 🙂
Hi Sarah, I am having trouble finding healthy eggs. I can find cage free eggs or organic eggs at the store. I can find pasture eggs from a farmer which also feeds his laying hens a little mixture of corm from another local farmer, which is sprayed, and little organic feed. Which eggs are best? And what about the winter months? I live in Michigan and no grass and bugs in winter.
Thanks you and thank you so much for all you do. I am learning so much.
Janet
I had always put the whole egg in our smoothies but last year my son began to have excema on his hands and he hadn’t had any of that since he was a baby. Anyway, I read somewhere that excema can be linked to a biotin deficiency and that egg yolks have plenty of biotin but the white can inhibit it. So I just started putting the yolk in and within a week or two his excema cleared up completely and I haven’t seen any sign of it since.
Shari, here is the site. it’s an exchange of ideas, questions and answers over a 2 or 3 year period. It may take a while to finds topics, so maybe just asking Scott a question would be quicker. Most of the participants are primal dieters, so if you haven’t read the book, ‘We Want To Live’ it may seem a bit confusing.
http://flexrx.nourished.com.au/2008/08/06/the-primal-diet/
Cheers.
I knew raw eggs were safe (well, if they come from safe chickens, that is), but I had no idea about the anti-nutrients in the whites. Thanks for informing!
Good post. So many people who think they eat healthy are unaware of anti-nutrients in food.
On another note altogether, anyone notice the ironic country crock ad on the sidebar of this arcticle?
Yes, I’ve complained to my ad sponsor to have it removed.