is it true egg whites must be cooked to be a good source of protein?

[biggun]

this doesn't make any sense to me but i have heard it a few different times. right now i throw a few egg whites in my protein shakes, am i wasting my time?

 

[Imnotdutch]

I cant for the life of me remember the details of this but it is true. I do know that when you cook the egg white you denature the protein. It happens that the denatured protein is more easily broken down by digestive enzymes.

Also, there is some risk of salmonella poisoning from eating raw eggs. If you cook them properly, this is no longer a problem.

Do you get any stomach problems when you use raw eggs? They go straight through me.....I guess you didint need to know that

this doesn't make any sense to me but i have heard it a few different times. right now i throw a few egg whites in my protein shakes, am i wasting my time?

 

[diamonddiceclay]

I would say they do not need to be cooked

 

[gymtime]

Bump. I'm curious about this too. I've recently started making a 12-egg white shake. I've been assuming I'm getting all the protein that comes with it. Am i wrong?

Another 2 cents, never had stomach problems with it.

 

[nugg]

NO

I don't beleive you have to cook them to be effective. Cooking them- if anything- reduces or denatures the value of the protein.

It may not be the healthiest thing to do, but you'll get the protein none the less

 

[Nathan]

You should cook them as you can get salmonella from raw eggs. I've never had it but I've heard that it's very unpleasant.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Re: NO

Nugg you are wrong. The protein must be broken down in order for it to be absorbed. Whether it is denatured or not doesnt matter. Why do you mean by cooking denatures the value of the protein? Denaturation refers to how the molecule is folded......and if you are gonna cut it with digestive enzymes that doesnt matter anyway. By denaturing the protein you do not alter the amino acid content or ratios.

I don't beleive you have to cook them to be effective. Cooking them- if anything- reduces or denatures the value of the protein.

It may not be the healthiest thing to do, but you'll get the protein none the less

 

[crashnet]

This would suck if true.....it means I've been wasting alot of money as I always mix the egg whites in with my shakes

 

[Mr.X]

100% False, I'll vouch all my knowledge for that

Eggs are protein in any form.
Mr.X

 

[elijah]

Cooking changes the structure of the protein, in eggs its ok, your college bio teacher used the egg as an example, and some of the amino acids actually become more usable by the body. However cooking some proteins is bad, like whey it destroys some of the aminos.

Ever tried uncooking an egg?