People who prefer eating raw eggs are of the opinion that cooking the eggs changes the structure of the animal proteins, and hence leads to loss in nutrients. However, it is to be remembered that there is no definite scientific claim to support this claim, and hence you should be careful while ingesting raw eggs. A good many foods, however, use raw eggs as an ingredient, and there is no reason why you should stop eating these foods altogether if you simply maintain some health rules and be careful about the kind of eggs that are being used.
Might contain bacteria
To begin with, the biggest problem with raw eggs lies in the fact that they may often contain salmonella, a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Partially cooked eggs may also contain these bacteria, which explains why most doctors will ask you to stay away from such eggs. Raw eggs can be especially harmful for a pregnant woman since it might also contain listeria, which is yet another bacterial infestation that might lead to severe complications in the pregnancy.
Opt for sterilized eggs
If you do wish to indulge in raw eggs, it is best to eat eggs that have been pasteurized. Pasteurized eggs are free from salmonella and listeria, and are safe to consume. When you buy raw eggs from the store, read the label to make sure that they have been sterilized. It is also best not to eat eggs that have been sitting on the shelf for too long; the longer they have been kept on the shelf, even if they are refrigerated, the bigger the chance of a host of bacteria and other types of parasites growing on them.
Also read: Can I eat eggs every day?
Cooked food is okay
Many of the foods that we consume require the use of raw eggs as an ingredient, such as cookie dough, cake batter, mayonnaise, Caesar dressing, Hollandaise sauce, eggnog, custards, ice creams, and so on. These foods are generally safe to consume since the entire preparation is usually cooked and/or mixed with spirits, which helps in killing off the bacteria. However, if you are still feeling queasy about eating these preparations, make sure that you make them at home by using pasteurized eggs, and also do not make them in large batches; make only as much you would need for immediate consumption. Alternatively, you can opt for some egg substitutes like cream and corn starch.
Go organic
There is no better option than going organic. Even if you do not subscribe to the humane treatment of animals view- which you totally should, by the way- organic eggs, that is, the ones that we obtain from free-range hens, are much better than the ones that we get from battery-cage hens.
Whether you eat raw eggs or not totally depends on your constitution, even if you follow the above-mentioned rules. Some people have greater chance of being infected by bacteria, such as infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people battling a serious illness. Besides, the body might not be able to process all the nutrients in raw form since humans are not used to it.