# What do raw eggs do for you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 23, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592 "2007-08-23T03:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pereatxtristitatis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@pereatxtristitatis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pereatxtristitatis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/1 "2007-08-23T03:03:14Z")
You know… when you see like movies and stuff where a dude’s about to go through some vigorous training he drinks raw eggs in the morning. I guess it helps with protein… but why eggs? why raw eggs? and what about salmonella D= ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/2 "2007-08-23T04:03:49Z")
You got it. Raw eggs are a good, fast, easy and cheap shot of good old protein. Most of those movies are old, salmonella wasn’t as much as an issue back then as it is now. Chicken farming practices were quite different. ---
**Author:** ![pereatxtristitatis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@pereatxtristitatis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pereatxtristitatis)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/3 "2007-08-23T04:17:36Z")
mm alright i get that buy is there a point in them being raw? ---
**Author:** ![Ruatara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@Ruatara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruatara)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/4 "2007-08-23T04:23:43Z")
[QUOTE=pereatxtristitatis] mm alright i get that buy is there a point in them being raw? [/QUOTE] Well, then you can put 5 in a glass and drink them. It saves time… ---
**Author:** ![TonyF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@TonyF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonyF)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/5 "2007-08-23T04:51:08Z")
My memory is a little fuzzy, but I recall that the thinking of the time was that cooking the eggs affected (maybe denatured?) the protein in the egg, making it less bioavailable. I also recall there being some truth to the statement, but due to other factors-probably concerns over salmonella poisoning, or maybe the cooking effects just didn’t make a difference-it was not suggested to eating eggs raw. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/6 "2007-08-23T09:31:09Z")
[QUOTE=Dorjän] Most of those movies are old, salmonella wasn’t as much as an issue back then as it is now. Chicken farming practices were quite different. [/QUOTE] The majority (85%+) of the eggs bought in the UK bear the “lionmark” which is an assurance that they’re from vaccinated chickens and therefore salmonella-free. I would be very suprised if there wasn’t a similar scheme in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/7 "2007-08-23T09:32:28Z")
[QUOTE=TonyF] My memory is a little fuzzy, but I recall that the thinking of the time was that cooking the eggs affected (maybe denatured?) the protein in the egg, making it less bioavailable. [/QUOTE] The acid in the stomach, and enzymes in the gut will denature the protein in a raw egg as effectively as heat will. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/8 "2007-08-23T10:11:23Z")
[QUOTE=Szlater] The majority (85%+) of the eggs bought in the UK bear the “lionmark” which is an assurance that they’re from vaccinated chickens and therefore salmonella-free. I would be very suprised if there wasn’t a similar scheme in the US. [/QUOTE] Be surprised. There isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/9 "2007-08-23T10:19:25Z")
My guess? Gulping down raw eggs is just more macho. Also, it makes a better visual for a movie. At least a better and more macho visual then showing our hero sitting down at the breakfast table, neatly peeling four boiled eggs, deftly sprinkling them with salt and eating them with a tiny spoon. Gulping down raw eggs also brings to mind the recipe against a hangover. Hangovers are also considered macho in some circles. ---
**Author:** ![HumanMonkeyGod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c67d28/32.png) [@HumanMonkeyGod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HumanMonkeyGod)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/10 "2007-08-23T19:56:21Z")
Apparently cooking eggs increases their bioavailability to the body, so eating them raw provides not only increased salmonella risk, but less protein. Of course both are neglible figures but anyway. [http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/128/10/1716](http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/128/10/1716) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/11 "2007-08-23T20:50:49Z")
[QUOTE=Maastricht] My guess? Gulping down raw eggs is just more macho. Also, it makes a better visual for a movie. [/QUOTE] That’s it. ‘Wow, that guy is really committing himself to buffing up! He’ll even eat sick things like raw eggs (well, un-nogged ones)!’ ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/12 "2007-08-23T21:00:03Z")
I heard that some boxers of yesteryear drank raw egg to “improve their wind,” which, if true, isn’t true, since raw-egg-eating isn’t a beneficial aerobic or anerobic activity. I did run across this little number from Slate: [Do Boxers Drink Raw Eggs?](http://www.slate.com/id/2156395/) (short answer: no.) ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/13 "2007-08-23T21:02:25Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] Be surprised. There isn’t. [/QUOTE] Not exactly like, perhaps, but many U.S. supermarkets now carry pasteurized eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/14 "2007-08-23T22:00:30Z")
[QUOTE=TimeWinder] Not exactly like, perhaps, but many U.S. supermarkets now carry pasteurized eggs. [/QUOTE] Not all that many. I can’t find them at all, and I keep looking. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/15 "2007-08-23T22:06:13Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Not all that many. I can’t find them at all, and I keep looking. [/QUOTE] They’re there, they just keep going past your… No, I can’t do it. I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/16 "2007-08-23T23:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=pereatxtristitatis] mm alright i get that buy is there a point in them being raw? [/QUOTE] Sometimes I crave raw eggs. I do prefer mine blended, sometimes with honey though. Something about the whites that’s a bit gross without some yolk mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/17 "2007-08-23T23:38:27Z")
[QUOTE=groman] Something about the whites that’s a bit gross without some yolk mixed in. [/QUOTE] It’s snot. (Seriously. Raw eggs look a hell of a lot like a giant loogie with yellow testicles. A snotball with balls, if you will.) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/18 "2007-08-23T23:43:19Z")
[QUOTE=pravnik] They’re there, they just keep going past your… No, I can’t do it. I can’t. [/QUOTE] Okay, I guess I’m dumb, but I can’t fill in your bad joke. You’ll just have to. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2007, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/19 "2007-08-23T23:47:17Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] Okay, I guess I’m dumb, but I can’t fill in your bad joke. You’ll just have to. 😉 [/QUOTE] “Past your eyes”, which is pronounced the exact same as “Pasteurize”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592/20 "2007-08-24T00:09:33Z")
[QUOTE=Derleth] “Past your eyes”, which is pronounced the exact same as “Pasteurize”. [/QUOTE] Ohhhh. _I_ get it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-raw-eggs-do-for-you/416592.md?page=2)