Hard-boiled? Soft-boiled? Egg cooking methods that maximize protein absorption…

Eating fully cooked fried eggs allows the egg proteins to be well absorbed by the body. Eggs are a representative protein food, but they also contain substances that inhibit the action of 'trypsin.' Trypsin is an enzyme that breaks down proteins in the body, and having enough trypsin in the body helps in the proper digestion and absorption of proteins. Fully heating eggs eliminates the substances that inhibit trypsin. According to a study by Yale University in the United States, the protein absorption rate is 91% when eggs are cooked, whereas it is only 52% when eating raw eggs.

If you eat eggs without cooking them, the avidin component in the egg white can bind with biotin in the intestine, hindering biotin absorption. Biotin is vitamin B7 and is involved in the production of keratin, the main component of hair. Severe deficiency of biotin can lead to hair loss. Fortunately, heating eggs deactivates avidin. To ensure that biotin is well absorbed by the body, it is better to cook eggs before eating.

Eating raw eggs increases the risk of infection with Salmonella bacteria. Salmonella bacteria cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting after an incubation period of 18 to 36 hours. They are destroyed when heated to temperatures above 75°C, so pregnant women, infants, and the elderly, who are vulnerable to infection, should eat fully cooked eggs.

Even if the eggs are fully cooked, there is a risk of contaminating other foods with Salmonella bacteria on your hands during the process of cracking the eggshell or preparing the food. Be careful to prevent cross-contamination. After handling eggs, you must wash your hands with running water for at least 30 seconds using hand sanitizer.