Biotin and avidin in raw egg


(Jack Bennett) #1

I recently learned that raw egg white contains avidin protein, which apparently binds to biotin in the egg yolk and prevents absorption of the biotin.

I got interested in this question because I’ve been using raw whole egg in protein shakes for a few weeks. Is this a real concern or am I obsessing about irrelevant details?


(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

I eat my eggs sunny side up a lot for this exact reason. You want that biotin. If the whites are cooked that reaction doesn’t take place. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Polly) #3

That’s good to know thanks @David_Stilley


(Bob M) #4

I still cook my egg the whole way through and eat all of it. It’s hard to cook sunny side up eggs in a microwave at work, for instance. Making a chaffle? I still use the whole egg. And I like omelettes more than sunny side up eggs.


(Ron) #5

" raw egg white contains avidin protein, which apparently binds to biotin in the egg yolk and prevents absorption of the biotin."

I’m a little confused here? If raw whites stop the absorption of biotin then why would you eat eggs sunny side up and allow the whites to remain uncooked, thus causing stoppage of the biotin absorption?


(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

@mtncntrykid When the eggs are cooking in adequate fat about halfway you take the corner of your spatula and pierce and wiggle the uncooked area a tiny bit and it helps set the pools of egg white. It lets raw egg under and hot fat up top. If there’s lots of bacon grease you can baste the top of the white too. Some do that with butter but I rarely melt that much butter to cook eggs. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Ron) #7

So your actually cooking your eggs with a soft yoke, got it. That is actually the way I like mine best. :+1:


#8

My sunny side ups usually has pretty fried whites too, I guess… I make sure to bother the bigger white areas which tries to stay raw… I rarely bother with pouring fat on top but that surely makes it pretty “safe”, it gets properly fried, after all.

I know this thing about the avoidin/biotin since ages but as I mostly live on eggs including yolks so my biotin intake is quite high, it’s no problem for me to eat some raw egg whites per day and I don’t even do that, it’s usually just one or less (except when I eat multiple very soft-boiled eggs with runny, barely white whites. that’s good stuff). But I don’t forget about this avidin/biotin problem, it’s a valid danger for people (and animals) who eats raw white whites without a high enough biotin intake.


(Ethan) #9

If you cover and add a few drops of water, it will steam the white liquid part


(Bunny) #10

I do both; for example; when you cook the eggs you remove most of the glutathione.

Some vitamins evaporate and minerals like iodine evaporate when cooked or lose their potency when exposed to lots of light, oxygen and high heat (like DHA and EPA) so why not do both periodically; sometimes raw or sometimes cooked?

References:

[1] “…Dextrose is added as a stabilizer to prevent potassium iodide from oxidizing and evaporating. …” …More

[2] “…Exposure to oxygen, light, heat and the degree of unsaturation of the fatty acids all contribute to oxidation rates 1. Highly unsaturated lipids, like EPA and DHA, are especially prone to oxidation and require special handling to prevent off‐flavors from developing. …” …Moreo


(Full Metal KETO AF) #11

Yes, basted eggs are a favorite with me too. Much easier than over easy. :wink::cowboy_hat_face: