It’s true that raw eggs are higher in certain nutrients than cooked eggs. But does that make them a healthier choice? Let’s consider the facts.

• Cooking eggs destroy a tiny amount of the vitamins and minerals. As a result, raw eggs are slightly higher in vitamin B6 and folate, vitamin E, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
• Cooking increases our body’s ability to absorb the protein in eggs. According to one study, while we can only absorb about half of the protein in a raw egg, we can absorb 91% of the protein in a cooked egg.
• Raw eggs can contain salmonella bacteria, which cause food poisoning. This is especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, seniors and people with compromised immune systems.
• One way to reduce the risk of salmonella is to buy pasteurized eggs that have been heat-treated to kill bacteria. However, like cooking, pasteurization reduces the vitamin and mineral content of raw eggs.
• Free-range raw eggs are just as susceptible to salmonella as regular raw eggs. While caged hens may develop salmonella due to stress, free-range hens can pick it up from the feces of other chicken and animals.
• Never eat a cracked egg raw since bacteria on the shell may have gotten inside the egg.

When you consider all the benefits and risks, cooked eggs are definitely the healthier choice!