1. Eating raw eggs can easily lead to biotin deficiency. This is because raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin that is harmful to the human body. This protein can tightly combine with biotin and other substances in the intestine to form a stable and inactive complex, thereby hindering the absorption of biotin. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin and a coenzyme of carboxylase in the human body, participating in the fixation and carboxylation reaction of carbon dioxide. If you consume a large amount of raw egg white, you may suffer from biotin deficiency, which may manifest as general fatigue, allergic reactions, dandruff dermatitis, shedding of squamous epithelial cells on the lips, and other symptoms. If it is heated, the avidin in the egg white is destroyed and will no longer hinder the absorption of biotin.
2. When eating raw eggs, the protein is not easy to digest and absorb. Because the protein structure of raw eggs is dense, it is not easily hydrolyzed by proteolytic enzymes in the gastrointestinal tract. Raw eggs contain an antitrypsin that inhibits the hydrolysis of food proteins by trypsin. In addition, raw eggs are a semi-liquid-like mucilage object that stays in the gastrointestinal tract for a short time. Most of the protein and other nutrients in raw eggs are wasted due to incomplete digestion and absorption. After the eggs are heated, the originally dense protein structure becomes loose and irregular due to the breakage of certain non-covalent chemical bonds within the molecule, such as hydrogen bonds, salt bonds, hydrophobic bonds, etc. That is, the protein is denatured, so that It is conducive to its catalytic hydrolysis by proteolytic enzymes. At the same time, because antitrypsin is denatured by heat, it will no longer inhibit trypsin. The latter can enzymatically decompose various protein molecules into small molecule peptides and even amino acids for absorption and utilization.
3. Eating raw eggs can increase the burden of a large amount of undigested protein on the liver, which will be putrefied by Escherichia coli in the lower part of the large intestine, producing more toxic substances, such as amines, phenols, ammonia, indole, sulfide, Hydrogen etc. Although some of these toxic substances are excreted with feces, a considerable part is absorbed by the intestines and enters the liver through the portal vein, where it is detoxified by the liver. If a person who eats raw eggs already has liver damage, poisoning may occur due to the increased burden on the liver, with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and even a drop or increase in blood pressure. When eggs are cooked and eaten, usually about 95% of the protein can be digested and absorbed. In this way, the toxic substances produced in the large intestine are greatly reduced, and the burden on the liver is relatively lightened.
4. Eating raw eggs can easily lead to enteritis. The egg shell looks almost airtight to the naked eye and does not allow anything to pass through. But under a microscope, the shell is full of small pores, the diameter of which is dozens or even hundreds of times larger than that of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, after the eggs are laid, some pathogens (such as salmonella, etc.) will inevitably invade. Acute gastroenteritis may occur if raw eggs contaminated with pathogens are eateninflammation, manifested by chills, fever, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. After the eggs are heated, the pathogens have been killed and gastrointestinal symptoms will not appear.
5. Eating raw eggs can cause loss of appetite and indigestion. This is because raw eggs have a special fishy smell, which can inhibit the central nervous system and reduce the secretion of digestive juices. Although there are so many adverse effects of eating raw eggs, there are still many people who eat raw eggs. According to the author's survey of 220 first-year technical secondary school students in our school, it was found that 36% of them eat raw eggs. This ratio cannot but attract attention. Analyzing the reason, the main reason is that these young students do not understand nutrition and health knowledge. Some students also mistakenly believe that eating raw eggs is more nutritious than eating cooked eggs. In view of this situation, the author suggests that as teachers, especially primary and secondary school teachers, it is necessary to publicize the truth that eggs should not be eaten raw to young students in class, or through blackboard newspapers and popular science lectures. After students understand these principles, they can not only stop eating raw eggs themselves, but also widely publicize them to their families and others to popularize nutritional and health knowledge. This is undoubtedly a very beneficial thing.