What Are the Healthiest Ways to Eat Eggs?

Eggs have been a longstanding part of the American diet, tracing back to the early colonists who brought over egg-laying chickens from Europe. By the mid-1800s, the breeding of chickens in America began to emphasize egg production, with chickens bred solely for egg-laying becoming more common.1 Eggs are highly nutritious, containing the vitamins, essential amino acids, and minerals necessary for healthy bodily function. However, the way eggs are prepared makes a difference in how healthy they are. It’s a common misconception that eggs are bad for you because of their fat content, so you may be surprised to learn that the cholesterol issues stemming from eating eggs actually come from the ingredients used to cook them and the foods eaten alongside them.

Finding the healthiest approaches to cooking and eating eggs can mean the difference between a nutritious diet and one that can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other health problems. Read on to find out the health benefits of eggs, healthy ways to prepare them, and information on how to handle them safely.

Eggs are a widely available, versatile, and inexpensive source of essential nutrients and protein. Chickens lay the vast majority of the eggs we eat today, but duck and quail eggs are also commonly consumed with little difference in their nutritional makeup. Brown eggs and duck eggs may be higher in calories than white eggs due to their size and may contain higher levels of omega-3s, but those are the only notable differences.

One large hen egg contains about 70 calories, 6g of protein, and 5g of fat. Eggs contribute to regulating many normal processes, including:2

• DNA building
• Hormonal function
• Pregnancy

They can also keep your eyesight strong and reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. Below, we’ll explain how eggs can support your body in many ways.

Cholesterol

Medical experts once thought eating eggs would raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) levels and lead to heart disease. Most of these concerns centered around the yolk’s high concentration of fats compared to lean, protein-rich egg whites. Healthcare providers used to caution people with high cholesterol to limit their consumption of eggs altogether. However, recent studies have shown that there is little to fear.

One large egg contains 5g of unsaturated (healthy) fats and only 1.5g of saturated fat. A Harvard study found that most cholesterol-raising features associated with eggs don’t come from the eggs themselves but rather from how they’re prepared and what you eat with them. Frying eggs in butter or copious amounts of oil, serving them with bacon or sausage, and including a buttery pastry or deep-fried donut on the side will raise your LDL cholesterol levels. Eating one egg a day, boiled, poached, or scrambled in a small amount of healthy fat, such as olive oil, is associated with no increase in cardiovascular risk.3

Eating eggs raises HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels, also known as “good” cholesterol. High HDL cholesterol lowers the risk of stroke and heart disease, and eating two eggs daily for six weeks can raise HDL levels by 10%.3

It is hard to say no to food with complete protein, low in saturated fat, and many vitamins and minerals. It’s even easier to say yes, knowing that eggs are healthier when prepared without excess butter and oils and are delicious. While it’s okay to indulge in a breakfast of eggs fried in butter and served with pancakes or sausage occasionally, it’s good to remember this increases the fat and cholesterol content considerably — by around 50%. Regular consumption of eggs prepared this way can lead to high cholesterol, raising the risk of heart disease and stroke.5

There are many ways to prepare eggs that mitigate this risk. Instead of frying, try poaching them in water and serving them on top of vegetable hash or avocado toast. A hard-boiled egg or two with a vegetable or fruit-packed salad is a great way to include the health benefits eggs offer. Another way to enjoy eggs is to scramble them with a light amount of olive oil, your favorite vegetables, and a bit of cheese.

If you’re feeling adventurous, consider this recipe for shakshuka. This Northwest African egg dish is made with spicy harissa and rich feta — and it’s easily customizable to your preferences. Another option is this recipe for Turkish Çılbır (pronounced “chil-bir”), which involves poached eggs served atop garlicky yogurt, drizzled with a bit of olive oil.

If you prefer something low in calories, consider skipping the yolk entirely and using only the high-protein white. (All of the fat in an egg resides in the yolk, so you’ll miss some of the nutrients when you cut calories.) If an egg white scramble or omelet sounds a bit boring for your taste, consider this recipe for easy, customizable, and freezer-friendly egg white muffins.

There are many ways to prepare eggs in a healthy and delicious way. All it takes is a little creativity and know-how. To get started, here are some other ideas and recipes for healthy ways to eat eggs:

• Breakfast burritos
• Eggs and sheet pan sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts
• Kimchi oatmeal with eggs and avocados
• Eggs Diablo
• Chicken ramen with eggs
• Kedgeree with poached eggs
• Salsa verde baked eggs
• Eggplant pilaf with poached eggs
• English muffin egg pizzas
• Goat cheese and spinach frittata

When it comes to your health, it’s just as important to know how to safely handle eggs as it is to prepare them. A raw or undercooked egg — particularly if it’s unpasteurized — can cause food poisoning due to a bacteria called Salmonella. For more information about Salmonella, its symptoms, and who’s at risk, please see the section below.

Salmonella bacteria can be present on or in fresh eggs, no matter how unbroken and clean the shells appear.6 To lower your risk of food poisoning from eggs, the FDA advises the following guidelines:6

• Store eggs in their original carton and keep them refrigerated under 40°F.
• Cook eggs and dishes with eggs thoroughly or until they reach 160°F.
• Use eggs within three weeks of purchase.
• Eat cooked or hard-boiled eggs within one week.
• Refrigerate leftover dishes with eggs and use or eat them within three or four days.
• Do not allow egg dishes to sit out at room temperature longer than two hours or one hour in temperatures above 90°F.
• Do not freeze eggs in their shells. Instead, freeze the white and yolks mixed in an airtight container.
• Use frozen eggs within one year.
• Wash hands frequently and thoroughly when handling raw eggs.
• Wash and disinfect all equipment, surfaces, and utensils that have come into contact with raw eggs.

In the United Kingdom

For healthy people who are not part of particularly at-risk populations, eating raw U.K. hen eggs should pose little or no safety risk.23

For at-risk populations (infants, children, pregnant individuals, and older adults) in the U.K., it’s recommended that you only consume raw or undercooked hen eggs when they are produced and approved under one of the following food safety schemes:

• British Lion (Over 90% of U.K. eggs)
• Laid in Britain

If you are immunocompromised, talk to your doctor. Any other type of egg, including duck, goose, or quail, should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

In the United States

Even though some may swear by the potential benefits of consuming raw eggs, the FDA, CDC, USDA, and an overwhelming majority of experts agree that the risks far outweigh any perceived benefits. This is especially true when you consider the fact that eating a cooked egg provides you with the same nutritional benefits as eating it raw, with the added bonus of killing any potential Salmonella bacteria.18 While the chance of contracting food poisoning via Salmonella from a raw egg is slim — about a 1 in 20,000 chance — the CDC estimates the bacteria causes about 1.35 million illnesses, over 26,000 hospitalizations, and more than 400 deaths in the U.S. each year.18 19 Ultimately, the risk of adverse health effects isn’t worth the gamble.

Signs of a Salmonella infection usually start within six hours to six days after exposure and can last from 4-7 days. Common symptoms include:20

• Fever
• Stomach cramping
• Diarrhea (with or without blood)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache

Sometimes Salmonella can cause severe disease through infections in your urine, blood, bones, joints, spinal fluid, and brain.19

Who should avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs?

Certain groups of people are at higher risk of infection from Salmonella. These people, and those who might care for them, should take extra precautions to avoid raw eggs, even in foods containing them as an ingredient. Those at higher risk include:19 21

• Children under the age of five
• Infants, especially those who aren’t breastfed
• Adults 65 and older
• Pregnant individuals
• Those with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems
• People taking certain medications (such as proton-pump inhibitors or other stomach acid reducers)

Foods that might contain raw egg

Many foods can contain raw egg as an ingredient; some are widely known, while others might come as a surprise. Keep in mind that the inclusion of raw egg or not depends on the recipe.18 21 22

Eggs are an excellent choice for a healthy diet; packed with essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, they are a delicious, filling, and nutritious option for any meal. In general, the health dangers associated with eggs come from their preparation and handling. Be sure to cook your eggs with a moderate amount of healthy fats, such as olive oil instead of butter, and pair it with your favorite vegetables and whole grains. Strive to exercise caution while handling, cooking, and storing eggs, including washing your hands, surfaces, and any equipment that has come into contact with raw eggs. And, as with all foods, moderation and balance are key.