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Are raw eggs good for a hangover? Do raw eggs prevent hangovers? It’s actually a surprisingly common question and one that doesn’t exactly have a straightforward answer.
With so many hangover cure myths out there, it’s hard to tell what works and what doesn’t.
If you’ve landed on this article, chances are you’ve tried a fair few supposed hangover cures that haven’t worked. And are now skeptical about whether raw eggs are good for a hangover or just another myth.
Well, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’re also going to examine raw eggs as a food and look at what it contains in terms of micronutrients and macronutrients.
We’ll then give a more detailed answer as to whether raw eggs are good for hangovers.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF RAW EGGS
Whether cooked or uncooked, eggs are generally considered a "healthy food." However, this is sometimes contested, as eggs are a source of animal protein and contain high fats (albeit good fats).
Nevertheless, raw eggs are rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
One whole, sizeable raw egg (50 grams) contains:
Calories: 72.
Protein: 6 grams.
Fat: 5 grams.
Vitamin A: 9% of the RDI.
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 13% of the RDI.
Pantothenic acid(Vitamin B5 ): 8% of the RDI.
Vitamin B12: 7% of the RDI.
Selenium: 22% of the RDI.
Phosphorus: 10% of the RDI.
Folate: 6% of the RDI.
In addition, one raw egg contains 147 mg of choline, an essential nutrient necessary for maintaining normal liver and brain health. (1)
It's important to note that almost all the nutrients are concentrated in the yolk, while the white mainly consists of protein.
Also, eggs are easy on the stomach, making them a good food choice when dealing with nausea and an upset stomach, which are common hangover symptoms.
So, are any of the nutrients in raw eggs good for a hangover? We'll focus on that in a few minutes.
WHAT CAUSES HANGOVER SYMPTOMS?
Before we get into whether raw eggs are good for hangovers or not, we first need to go over how alcohol causes hangovers.
The science of hangovers isn't black and white. There are many different causes of a hangover, and your symptoms are a result of a combination of factors, including:
Dehydration
Alcohol causes dehydration by blocking the release of a hormone called ADH from the pituitary gland (in the brain). This hormone is essential for reabsorbing water from the kidneys. By blocking its release, the kidneys flush out water.
Inflammation
When alcohol is broken down by your liver (metabolized), toxic by-products such as acetaldehyde are formed. These react with your cells, causing inflammation. Congeners in darker-colored drinks also exacerbate things.
Poor sleep quality
Although drinking alcohol makes you sleepy, it doesn't mean good sleep quality. Alcohol blocks your brain from reaching the REM stage of sleep, which is essential for feeling fully rested.
In summary, hangovers are caused by dehydration, inflammation, and poor sleep quality. Eating raw eggs is only a solution to some of these problems.
That said, it contains a few B vitamins that are important in alcohol metabolism, such as vitamin B1. However, it must be in higher concentrations to make a difference. Additionally, cysteine, an amino acid in eggs, helps break down acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product of alcohol metabolism that contributes to hangover symptoms.
Other than the nutritional value, eating raw eggs when hungover is unlikely to have any impact on your symptoms.
DOES EATING RAW EGGS PREVENT A HANGOVER?
What about eating raw eggs before drinking alcohol to prevent hangovers? Will that work?
Unfortunately, it will still not have any special hangover prevention powers. Besides the nutritional value, eating raw eggs when hungover is unlikely to impact your symptoms.
That said, avoiding drinking on an empty stomach is essential. That's because food slows down how fast alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream. But forcing a raw egg down instead of a typical meal is not essential.
ARE THERE ANY NEGATIVES?
Raw eggs are only somewhat safe to eat. Some eggs contain a type of harmful bacteria called Salmonella.
Fortunately, the risk of an egg being contaminated is shallow. One study found only 1 of every 30,000 eggs produced in the US is contaminated with Salmonella. (2)
That means you'll have a hangover and food poisoning if you're unlucky enough to eat one of these raw eggs contaminated with Salmonella!
Salmonella dies when an egg is cooked, so the risk isn't there with a boiled egg.
Also, there is little point in eating an egg raw. It'll contain the same nutrients cooked!
Raw eggs, tomato juice, and hot sauce for hangovers – The Prairie Oyster
Some of you may have heard of the prairie oyster hangover cure. It's a traditional hangover cure recipe consisting of a raw egg, vinegar, and/or hot sauce, table salt, and ground black pepper.
Tomato juice is sometimes added, reminiscent of a Bloody Mary.
What about adding these condiments to a raw egg to make a prairie oyster? Will this make it more effective at curing hangovers?
It's thought that drinking a prairie oyster when hungover has benefits for the following reasons:
– Salt in prairie oysters helps your body retain water.
– The capsaicin in hot sauce can act as a painkiller.
– Cysteine, an amino acid contained in eggs, helps your body break down alcohol
Unfortunately, none of the above works:
– The best way to rehydrate is to drink water. Do not eat salt!
– Capsaicin is a painkiller in topical creams, not when ingested.
– Cysteine is an amino acid that helps your liver make an antioxidant called glutathione. It doesn't break down alcohol. Also, by the time you have a hangover, there's very little or no alcohol in your bloodstream left.
So, you already know that prairie oysters will not cure your hangover. It's improbable that the addition of condiments will make a difference. That said, it'll make the raw egg more palatable!
ANYTHING ELSE TO CONSIDER?
Hangovers are a sign from your body that you've been drinking too much alcohol for your body to handle. The wrong approach is to cure a hangover by eating raw eggs or even jazzing things with a prairie oyster.
In addition to drinking water, it's essential to replenish the electrolytes you lost while consuming alcohol. Coconut water, rich in electrolytes and low in sugar, can be a practical choice. Foods like bananas, rich in potassium, can also help restore your electrolyte balance and support your recovery from hangover symptoms.
Incorporate avocados into your post-drinking meal for potential benefits. They contain glutathione, a compound that aids in detoxification and may protect your liver from damage.
While light exercise can boost circulation and help alleviate some hangover symptoms, intense workouts should be avoided, as they may worsen your symptoms—dehydration and nutrient depletion.
The best way to "cure" a hangover is by preventing one in the first place. Drinking less at a slower pace, eating before going out, and drinking plenty of water are all required.
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RAW EGGS FOR HANGOVERS – FINAL VERDICT
That brings us to the end of our look into raw eggs as a hangover remedy and prevention.
Unfortunately, it's unlikely to make a real difference to your hangovers. In addition, there's a risk (albeit small) that the raw egg you are consuming is contaminated with Salmonella. Getting food poisoning with a hangover would be a disaster, as I'm sure you'd agree.
If you're interested in this topic, check out our article on good hangover foods.