Health experts are raising alarms about a viral TikTok trend promoting raw egg consumption in smoothies for supposed muscle-building and skin benefits. The trend, which has accumulated over 200 million views under related hashtags, shows influencers blending raw eggs into protein shakes and claiming superior nutrient absorption compared to cooked eggs.
The CDC estimates that approximately one in every 20,000 eggs is contaminated with Salmonella, and consuming raw eggs poses a genuine risk of foodborne illness. Symptoms can range from mild gastrointestinal distress to severe infection requiring hospitalization, particularly in young children, elderly individuals, and immunocompromised people.
Registered dietitian Amanda Torres noted that cooking eggs actually increases the bioavailability of their protein, contradicting the trend's central claim. 'You absorb roughly 90 percent of protein from cooked eggs versus only about 50 percent from raw,' Torres explained. 'There is simply no scientific basis for drinking raw eggs.'
