Have you heard the crazy news? I’m eating raw egg yolks every day.
Well, maybe not every day, but on most days, I include at least 2-3 raw egg yolks in my diet. Here’s why I eat raw egg yolks almost every day…
Eating raw eggs may not be what all the popular kids are doing, but since raw egg yolks are just brimming with beneficial nutrients I figure it’s worth the social stigma.
FAQ on Eating Raw Eggs
Q: What makes egg yolks so special?
A: Actually, there’s a lot of densely-packed nutrients in egg yolks!
- Fat soluble vitamins are highly concentrated in egg yolks. This is where all the valuable vitamin A, D, E and K are stored. These are the vitamins that were revered in cultures studied by Weston A. Price.
- The yolk is also where you’re going to find plenty of B vitamins (like the very crucial B6 and B12, which many people are short on), plus minerals like calcium and zinc.
- Egg yolks are rich in cholesterol. And that’s a good thing! Cholesterol is imperative for hormone and neurotransmitter production (i.e. it keeps you feeling good), and is also crucial for the production of vitamin D. The latest studies like this one on eggs and cholesterol show that eggs are not a problem and everybody really jumped the gun on the whole eggs-will-kill-you thing.
- Yolks contain essential fatty acids like omega-3 DHA. Egg yolks, especially those from pastured chickens, have an excellent omega 3:6 ratio, too. There’s virtually no fat in the white, however.
- Egg yolks are also a great source of lecithin, which is great for your liver, your brain and your skin. Throw out your soy lecithin (it’s basically industrial waste) and get your lecithin from eggs!
Q: I’m hearing a lot of bad things about egg yolks – is it true?
A: New research from reputable sources says egg yolks are not bad!
- Time Health did a very thorough article on health research on egg yolks, nutrition, and cholesterol.
- Harvard has also revised its stance on egg yolks based on the newest research.
- Another well-done piece on why egg yolks are gaining a better reputation.
Q: But why eat raw egg yolks?
A: Here’s why raw can be better than cooked when it comes to egg yolks:
- Heat alters the nutrients in eggs and destroys the enzymes that help us assimilate them. Cooked eggs are still a decent source of nutrition, but eating raw egg yolks takes the nutrient-density to a whole new level. They are highly digestible and full of readily-available nutrients.
- Raw egg yolks are super gentle on the digestive system. In fact, raw egg yolks are one of the first foods available on the GAPS diet intro, which is for people who have severe health problems originating in the gut.
- In addition, eating raw egg yolks is much less likely to trigger an allergic reaction, so even sensitive individuals may be able to tolerate them.
Now, don’t get me wrong: I eat cooked eggs too, and I don’t think cooking totally destroys an egg’s nutritional value. But going raw has a few distinct benefits and you might as well take advantage of those every now and then, right?
Q: Do you eat raw egg yolks plain? Yuck!
A: Don’t worry: you don’t have to eat them plain.
Despite what some sources say, I find it hard to believe that beating an egg yolk harms the nutrients inside (wouldn’t chewing also be detrimental?).
I usually blend mine into smoothies. It actually gives smoothies that thick and creamy milkshake texture. Here’s my favorite coffee smoothie recipe, which I often eat for breakfast.
In fact, some insanely good ice cream recipes require eight (yes, eight) egg yolks!! (I’ve made this and I just whisk them into the cream mixture without cooking them if I want to keep the yolks raw.)
You can just blend some raw milk or kefir with a few egg yolks and natural sweetener like raw honey–it’s kind of like easy ice cream! Talk about satisfying a sweet tooth with something healthy. 😉
For my kids (who weirdly don’t like smoothies) I stir a yolk up with some organic peanut butter and raw honey. They don’t know the difference and they’ve asked for this snack quite a bit!
Q: Why not eat raw egg whites?
A: There are differing opinions on this, but Nourishing Traditions is fairly adamant that raw egg whites aren’t something to eat every day because they contain anti-nutrients and enzyme inhibitors, and may cause digestive issues. These properties are neutralized by cooking.
UPDATE: I’ve since disregarded my fear of raw egg whites. The practice never fully “clicked” with me, and after some research I’ve determined that for most people eating a nutrient-dense diet and with a healthy digestive system, raw egg whites are probably not a big issue. Mercola explains some more on this here. It’s a personal decision, but it’s always good to hear both sides of an issue before deciding. And as always, listen to your body and see how your digestion feels after consuming raw whites.
Q: Ok, so I eat raw egg yolks – but is it safe?
A: There is a LOT of heated debate out there about whether or not it’s safe to eat raw eggs. I’ve done some research myself, and here’s my take on the whole issue:
- According to Dr. Mercola’s web site, only 1 in 30,000 eggs even has a salmonella problem. If I eat three raw eggs a day, statistics say it would take more than 27 years before I’d actually run across one with salmonella. Of course, I know life isn’t about statistics, but you get the point.
- Raw egg yolks from a quality source are even less likely to contain salmonella. Healthy, pastured chickens with lots of sun exposure aren’t going have much salmonella to pass on to their eggs.
- A healthy body is equipped to fight bacteria on its own. We encounter bad bacteria all the time. If we take good care of our bodies they can put up a good fight against the bad stuff. If you have a weak or compromised immune system, though, you might want to be more careful. (Taking probiotics helps.)
- Fresh eggs are less likely to harbor a lot of salmonella. To determine if an egg is fresh, bring it to room temperature first. Check for cracks: there should be none. Roll the egg on a flat surface: it should wobble. Check the white and yolk: both should be firm and not easily broken. If you think it’s not fresh, don’t eat it.
Do you like eating raw egg yolks? Why or why not? Comment below!
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- I Stopped Dieting 6 Years Ago and This Happened….
- Craving Peanut Butter? Learn The Root Cause
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NUTRITION?
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I’ve noticed that I feel really exhausted after I eat eggs. I’ve been wondering if I should try them raw, but I don’t know what I would do with the white if I need to separate them to have the yolk raw. Any ideas?
I admit I tend to throw away a lot of whites (well, I give them to the pot belly pig), even though it feels so wasteful. But I do use them sometimes. They make a great pore-minimizing face mask if you whip them up just a bit. They are also great for coconut macaroons or homemade merengue. Whipped egg whites can also make very fluffy waffles if you fold them in at the end. I’m sure other readers might have some ideas, too?
I add whipped egg whites to most of my baking, gives it much better texture! It works great in muffins or quick breads as well. I also whip egg whites for the Cinnamon Bun muffins (made with almond flour and coconut oil) from Elana’s Pantry website, they turn out beautifully that way!
You can use egg whites for making a tasty meringue. Love these guys.. BTW eggs are awesome. Thanks for this post Elizabeth.
I have mine raw and I have the egg white and yolk altogether, plus I have 6 a time, 3 times a day atm until I move up to 2 dozen a day, all I do is add a tiny bit of water blend for not long then drink it, I feel better every time I go onto eggs my health goes brilliant my mental mood improves also, I advise anyone to have the whole egg raw 🙂
Whoa inspiring
Wow, Impressive. What did you read that made you believe that taking 18 a day, and eventually 2 dozen a day is good for you. I read about someone who had failing health and they took 33 a day for 2 days and they completely got back out of bed on the 3rd day renewed.
Do NOT eat 33 raw eggs a day. Although it may sound good to have all that vitamin A, one egg provides enough vitamin a for a day. Since vitamin A is fat soluble, along with Vitamins D, E , and K, any excess cannot be excreted through urine or sweat. After a while, all the vitamin A buildup can kill you. Just 900 micrograms of vitamin A can cause hypervitaminosis A, which can cause bone pain, blurry vision, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and even death.
Wow. Do you eat anything else?
Is that an egg fast or do you have the dozen or two eggs with other food as well?
by blending them together and consuming them together raw, you kill/ bind the biotin inside the yolk with the avidin which is contained inside the egg white.
i also do consume both parts raw but to prevent the binding of the biotin (which i really want to have for my body available) i eat them separated at different times of the day, so that all the biotin can be absorbed by my body before i consume the white with the avidin
🙂
How to check an egg putit in a glass of water, if it lies flat on the bottom it is really fresh, if it rises slightly it still eatable, if it floats throw it away.
Yes, correct
You’re probably experiencing a detox effect. I was just reading online about the popular “egg yolk, lime juice liver cleanse,” which for many beginners will make them tired and sleepy right away. You might want to google this and see if the information is helpful to you.
Egg-whites contain L-Tryptophan, this has a sedative effect. (same as turkey)
Reason enough not to eat Egg-whites in the morning for me, among other reasons.
i drink whole 3 raw eggs everyday….include the eggwhites..it has more protein
I have also been having two raw eggs a day. I eat them in a smoothie, but if anyone has any great smoothie recipes, I would love to have them. I am not wild about the texture or flavor of raw egg yolk.
I notice chocolate or peanut butter tend to cover up any egg yolk flavor.
I cook the egg whites and feed them to my outside critters… squirrels, birds,lizards, and such
Just eat the whole egg extra protein
If you are ever tired after eating a meal, it is bc you’ve eaten an abundance of something your body doesnt need. That’s its way of coping. Hence why comfort food usually calls for a nap soon after.
No. “Comfort Foods” = foots that contain morphine related substances like casein in milk or gluten in wheat.
Raw meat causes fatigue because your body devotes energy to fighting bacteria. As well, low blood plasma levels of cholesterol is to this day the only known biological predictor of suicide. Raw egg yolks make you feel good for this reason, especially women who lose more cholesterol due to menstruation and/or pregnancy.
Look at lions or any predators in nature. They always nap after feasting on some antelope or something. Same concept here.
Here are a few ideas you can check into:
1. Your body may be missing some other key ingredients for digestion, or your digestive tract could have some inflammation/issues the eggs are triggering.
2. Your stomach acidity may be too low (not acidic enough) to fully digest the eggs.
3. The boost in nutrition may be causing a detox effect
I hope this helps! =)
(P.S. make sure the eggs are organic and as natural as possible. The difference between non-organic and organic eggs these days is crazy!)
Egg white omelette with diced ham and shallot.
I have been eating 3 raw eggs every morning and another 3 or so throughout the day for 3yrs now. I eat everything including the egg whites. I am a bodybuilder and I need the protein from the whites. I have never had digestive issues. If anything Raw eggs help me stay regulated. After eating them I feel strong, alert( Omegas) and have since had 3 perfect blood tests. My cholesterol is perfect. If I could afford it I would eat upwards to a dozen a day. Most people carry cans of tuna with them all day and eat a can every 2 hours. I leave a carton of eggs at work so every 2-3hrs I eat 2 to keep my protein levels up. I drink them straight. Honestly they taste like milk. I shoot them like a shot of hard alcohol and I think nothing of it. I will continue to keep doing this. The market near me has organic eggs that are HUGE!! Sometimes I get double yolks! Thats 2x the vitamins! I dont know how or why I started doing this, probably Rocky but I dont remember why but I have continued for 3 full yrs now and I love it. My wife and daughter put 1 in their smoothies but I like it RAW!!!
ps Raw eggs also make you feel full so its a perfect diet as well
Could it be that you have a dood intolerance for eggs? If you feel exhausted after eating something, don’t it eat it!
Throw it in a blender and use it as a face mask…you will feel your whole face tighten ! Wash of and voila! I do this when I feel extra tired i
I have half glass of red wine and stir one egg yolk in and drink it for nourishment the egg whites I save and scramble for a breakfast.
Can I just eat the egg yolk straight away
Yeah me too. I always feel tired after eating cooked eaggs. Happens every time but im fine after about 2 hours or so.
I have been eating raw eggs for over 50 years and never had salmonella. You are far more likely to get salmonella from a salad than from an egg because rotten eggs stink but the smell of bad salads are often masked by vinegar and other flavouring.
Lastly, humans and other animals have been eating raw eggs, including the whites, for millions of years, even before the invention of fire. We are designed to eat them, raw.
Wonderful post. I’m a 66 year old male. I eat (drink) eat three raw eggs with a glass of whole milk and a squirt of chocolate syrup several times a week for a quick breakfast and feel great all day. Your suggestion regarding peanut butter and honey is one I’ll be trying.
I mix 1 raw egg into a glass of warm milk every morning, and that’s my breakfast. It keeps me full, and I feel energized after taking it down! I’m working my way up to two raw eggs per glass; that’s what Marilyn Monroe had for breakfast every day, and I got the idea from her. I always buy free-range or cage-free organic eggs no matter how expensive they may be in the market. Once you begin eating cage free brown eggs, you just cannot go back…
i just boil the egg for 5 minutes, it cooks the white part but leaves yolk runny, like liquid not gooey
Yes, try them raw. They digest within an hour with natural vitamins and enzymes intact and they are delicious once you get used to it. I eat the albumin (white) also raw and take extra biotin just in case the avidin in the whites can actually make biotin unavailable. Ever read D’Adamo? Should learn your blood and genotype to help you decide upon good foods to experiment with. Cheers!
Cook the white to deactivate the thing that blocks biotin absorption.
I eat raw eggs 2-3 times per week. I just pretty much swallow them . I like to have them with salt and lemon and I usually take this at work I eat a couple and I feel like it gives me a nice pump of energy.
However, deficiencies can be caused by consuming raw egg whites over a period of months to years. Egg whites contain high levels of avidin, a protein that binds biotin strongly. When cooked, avidin is partially denatured and binding to biotin is reduced. … However, cooked egg whites are safer to consume.
I love raw eggs!!!!
I prefer just the yolk by a long shot, but I amost always eat the whole thing. I crack them into my mouth for a snack (or suck them out for fun/less mess) , or put 4-5 in a glass for a pre-meal or light lunch.
Hey Grok! I’ve seen you over at Mark’s Daily Apple. Glad to see you here at The Nourished Life – welcome!
That’s great that you love whole yolks. That must make it so easy to eat them. In a hurry I’ve beat a few into a little milk and swallowed it down. I thought it would be gross but I was surprised that I didn’t mind it at all. I haven’t braved trying them whole, yet, though. Maybe someday…
Egg milk is delicious. You can add warm water, cream, coconut oil and cinnamon combos for yummy drinks too.
I like raw eggs so much that I’ll just sit there with a glass and sip it like tea. I don’t even mix them most the time.
whoa – you crack them right in your mouth? I definitely want to start eating raw eggs. i am deficient in a few things and vitamins aren’t helping! the idea of eating chicken ovulation makes gag. I’m looking around for recipes that are good enough to trick me into believing there are no eggs in it…
Fresh OJ, 3 to 4 raw eggs, raw milk or raw yogurt, cinnamon or cardamom(opt). Blend, and drink. Great with the addition of orange for vit c boost. Personally, we eat the whole egg, I have read on the other side that with the white it makes it a whole food. I figure if it came from God in it’s purist form, it’s got to be good!
Raw eggs tastes so very delicious. A good way to eat it is to poke a tiny hole on the bottom and another on the top. You block and tap one hole with your finger and drink from the other. I recommend doing it slowly if you’re not used to the taste. Let it linger in your mouth and try to take time to taste it. It’s incredibly delicious!
And I agree with Susan. Research says that the raw egg whites combined with the yolk makes it perfectly safe to consume and makes it a ‘whole’ food, just the way God intended.
Well, raw egg white contains avidin, which binds biotin (potential for deficiency). The yolk is best raw; the white is best cooked.
Love u for saying that!
It’s not really ovulation in the same sense as a human. It’s just a nutrients sack designed to support life of a baby chicken. It’s essentially just food for an animal. A mammal egg is much different as it does not have nutrients to sustain life, the life gets its nutrients from whatever there mother eats.
Great info – can you please share more about the dangers of raw egg whites?
Raw egg whites contain a protein that can make them very hard to digest. Most of the nutrition is in the yolk, anyway. I often just use the yolks, even in cooking.
i would not refer to it as a “danger….” but rather an issue that needs to be understood. i will eat raw egg whites from chickens i trust, but not very often. the number of raw egg yolks i eat would eventually cause problems if i ate all of them with the whites. i cook with some, feed some to my dog and let some go.
i love you so much omg yesss
I eat raw egg yolks also on the advice of Wai from Waisays.com
I also eat 80% fresh ripe fruit, fresh organic veg, unshelled nuts/seeds, a variety homegrown berries, Homemade greendrinks, homemade almond vanilla nut milks and thai coconut milk. fresh harvested water.
That is all I eat and drink. No wheat gluten, no milk/dairy, no meat, no caffeine and minimal refined sugar.
Google waisays
she tells you how to do the egg safety test and what to look for.
Egg-cellent Post!! Really enjoyed this one. Being we make up an eggnog every single morning. Raw Milk, raw eggs, vanilla essense and toss in some fresh fruit to thicken it up a bit. I use no sweeteners whether I add fruit or not.
That’s my favorite way to eat eggs. 🙂 I eat three almost every morning like that – topped with shredded cheese, too, and absolutely delicious! It’s funny how well eggs cook that way, like they were made for cooking the white and leaving the yolk raw. The ingenuity of nature…
It is really easy to mix egg yolks with kefir or yogurt though. And raw yolks with probiotics – that’s got to pack one heck of a nutritional punch!
me, too!! great post! i wrote a similar one about my epiphany about the raw orange julius “reinventing the protein shake” on my old blog, http://www.camillemacres.com. the recipe is right on the first page if you want to try it!
Excellent recipe, Camille! Thanks for sharing.
I am looking for it, and cant find it……
I love raw eggs in my smoothie and am totally convinced by the health benefits. However, I have noticed that I often (maybe always) get a kind of gall bladder ache when I have it. Anyone else ever have this? It feels like my stomach goes kind of hard and then there is an ache in the upper right quad of my abdomen. I additionally disappointed by this because I am pregnant and know the benefits of raw eggs to build placenta.
I am not sure what the connection might be, but I think it’s always important to listen to your body (that is, if you can decipher what it’s telling you!). Raw egg yolks are great, but you can still be extremely healthy without them.
The lecithin in the egg is causing the gallbladder to ache. It’s breaking down the bile and cholesterol in the bile duct. Happened to me every time I ate them for a while. Drink plenty of raw apple cider vinegar in organic apple cider for a couple of weeks. That should take care of the purging going on in the gallbladder and you should be able to incorporate the eggs again. Also, the extra estrogen in pregnancy makes your gallbladder kick up too. Just stick with the ACV and eat some beets too. You’ll be fine. 🙂
At the moment I eat the whole raw egg. I am in still two minds whether just have the
yolk or the whole egg. It seems such a waste to throw away the egg white especially since the chickens has gone to all the trouble of producing the yolk and egg white.
Here’s an interesting link to the use of egg yolks and limes in a liver/gall bladder cleans. The thread has been running for over 4 years so there must be something in it.
http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=180601#i
I wake up crack 2 eggs swallow them whole (raw)with a scoop of whey protien powder in a glass of water then 3 hrs later i cook 4 eggs (only whites) and swallow the raw egg yolk with black beans or refried beans but i do buy organic eggs much more tastier and helthier also only cost around $3 for a dozen so very much worth it your body will apperciate it and you will notice 🙂
Lecithin from egg yolks is also what cured my plugged ducts and mastitis! A little known side effect from raw egg yolks – they promote breast health, and apparently some studies are showing it can have a strong preventative effect on breast cancer as well.
I forgot about the raw yolk. I used to add and mix it with milk or chocolate milk. Thanks for reminding! 😉 via @HealthByChoice1
Great post about nutrient dense raw eggs. I will try them in a smoothie. Also, when I fry an egg, I like the yolk runny, so in that sense, it’s not completely cooked. Maybe a compromise for someone who is not willing to try raw.
If you are worried about raw whites, then steaming is the way to go. There’s a lower chance of over-cooking, which leads to cross-linkages and/or denatured (toxic?) nutrients. A basic egg-steamer will give directions how to get an egg to come out in which the white is adequately cooked and the “liquid gold” is still nice and runny.
I eat a ton of raw eggs!! They are the best salad dressing with some acv!
Wow I loooove this idea! I have been using ACV with extra vergin olive oil for all of my salad dressings, but have been wanting to cut back on the oil, as it seems less and less natural to me to use oil; “GROK” certainly never used it. Will start using raw egg yolk instead of olive oil as off my next salad, thanks!
Paul – Every morning in the blender: 1 1/2 quarts pineapple juice, 4 or 5 bananas, 2 or 3 eggs yolks, 1/4 cup honey and a good shot of vanilla ! My breakfast: at least 2 cups and the rest occasionally the rest of the day. Enjoy ! !
I just started eating raw egg yolks. Great addition to my raw fruit, leafy greens & nut diet.
I’m going to wait to try until I have access to local farm, pastured eggs from chickens that live outside, eat bugs, get top notch feed from their humans, hang out in the sunshine – you know, the way it ought to be! I look forward to it. 🙂 I like the blending idea. As I’ve only eaten cooked eggs in my life, it’ll be an acquired texture I’m sure.
Yes, it’s good to have eggs from a quality source first (mine is my backyard, lol). As for taste, I honestly can’t taste egg yolks in smoothies if I only use 1-2. They just make it creamy like ice cream. I’ve added 3-4 before and then I can kind of taste it, but it’s still not unpleasant.
As a child I can recall my father and brothers having raw egg in drinks as a nutritional booster. I can recall two drinks. First one was a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice blended with one or two eggs with a little sugar added to taste if required. The second recipe is stout with milk and one or two raw eggs. Take one bottle of Guinness or any other brand add half as much milk usually full cream and two eggs with 1/2 cup honey or other sweetener to taste.Blend with ice cubes pour in a tall glass and great drinking.The eggs were farm fresh as we raised our own free range hens. I suppose using low fat milk can reduce calories for those concerned.
These drinks were generally seen as drinks to strengthen men however as children we did partake. After hesitancy over the yuk factor of raw eggs, we did find the stout drink delish; as several persons stated tastes like milk shake. No one ever suffered ill effects.
Awesome story! Thanks so much for sharing. It’s funny how raw eggs were traditionally consumed as nutritional supplements, but now that practice is almost entirely forgotten in modern culture (perhaps because factory farmed eggs pose a bigger danger than real farm fresh eggs).
I just had hefeweizen beer with whole milk, about 1 to 1, and two whole eggs plopped-in (‘free range organic’ supposedly), and drunk it up, it felt perfect, perfect balance,.. I’m stoked. It was the first time I ever did that, I just poured about 4oz beer, 4oz whole milk(un-homogenized, important for my best vitality instead of homogenized, – so I find, from experience with my body’s response). No mixing, just pour ’em/put ’em in together then drink.
I read your family did similar, very interesting,… though I find I do well without the sweetener (besides beer and milk being kinda sweet).
I just decided that this would be good, and it is. I didn’t read about it, I just created it by following what I figured my body was telling me, prudently.
I have a raw egg yolk every morning in my smoothie. My mother told me a raw egg calms the nerves of the stomach, not sure if that is true – but she can swallow raw eggs whole straight from the shell, which just makes me gag thinking about it.
I have to admit to throwing the white away too 🙁
I’m not sure I could stomach swallowing them like that either! But I know a few people who do. More power to them, I guess!
Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, I was given eggnog made with raw eggs, milk and sugar by my mom whenever I was recovering from an illness (especially from a stomach bug). It was generally believed to be a strengthening tonic back then. We all stopped doing it with the salmonella “scare”, although my grandfather-in-law ate one or two raw eggs every morning by putting them in a glass and drinking them down and he lived to the age of 98.
Now, the only raw eggs I generally get are through my homemade mayo (made with farm fresh eggs), but I have also learned to cook eggs gently, at very low heat, so the whites stay very tender (instead of rubbery) and the yolks are runny. I might have to start throwing some into smoothies occasionally. I will probably use the whole egg because of Dr Mercola and a few others have written.
I think gently cooked eggs are the next best thing–which happens to be how we all enjoy eating them around here, so that works out pretty well!
Ever since i was a baby and was always begging my grandma to buy me something sweet, she used to make me a quick cocoa cream just by mixing raw egg yolk, a teaspoon of sugar and a bit of cocoa. I found that to be one of the most delicious deserts ever. I realize now that it was pretty healthy too. Nevermind the sugar, i would run outside all day so that was being used properly 😀 never got sick from eggs and it’s been more than 27 years!
Wow, that’s a neat idea. Funny how grandparents seem to know all these nifty tricks with real food. They really grew up with the good stuff!