Protein from cooked eggs

Options
mmargarette
mmargarette Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it true that when you cook eggs that their protein is lost?

My biology teacher said that protein is destroyed by increased temperature. So when the egg is hard boiled, scrambled, or what, the protein is gone. Or there's not much protein left as it should. That's why he says it's better to eat the egg white raw and soft boiled is kinda okay too.

I just want to confirm this because I don't like raw or soft boiled egg. I prefer scrambled or hard boiled. And after hearing what my teacher said, I feel like I've wasted my time eating cooked eggs and gaining because of it.

AND if ever this is true or not, what do you guys think about skipping the egg yolk?

Replies

  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Options
    http://jn.nutrition.org/content/128/10/1716.full

    The study showed that egg protein is more digestible (94% versus 55-64%) when heated, probably due to alteration of the protein’s structure and the ability of digestive enzymes to infiltrate peptide bonds.
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    Options
    The protein goes through denaturation or change in structure of molecule with applied heat. Doesn't only happen with protein in eggs, but other foods too. Either your biology teacher needs to go back to school, or perhaps you may have misunderstood the lesson. Eat eggs, and cook them however you like, scrambled, boiled, poached, hard, soft, whatever. They are a great healthy food when cooked.

    Yes, eat the yolk. Very healthy stuff in there, like omega 3, which is good for the brain. Perhaps your teacher may benefit eating yolks?
  • ElectricDragon
    ElectricDragon Posts: 60 Member
    Options
    Yes, it will get denatured. Will it get destroyed? No.

    Destroyed and denatured do not mean the same thing.

    So what does denatured mean? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denaturation_(biochemistry)

    Take home message from the article: "When a protein is denatured, secondary and tertiary structures are altered but the peptide bonds of the primary structure between the amino acids are left intact. "
  • imzadi481
    imzadi481 Posts: 86 Member
    Options
    I can't help with the first part of your question, but I can say this about the yolk: eat it! Besides its health benefits such as Omega-3, they taste damn good! My favorite thing to eat lately has been two soft boiled eggs in which I dip a lightly buttered english muffin. So much YUM!
  • ElectricDragon
    ElectricDragon Posts: 60 Member
    Options
    This youtube video explains things really well (also discusses your egg scenario): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUCgAxI8rhg

    This image also helps explain what is meant by primary, secondary, tertiary protein structures:
    250px-Main_protein_structure_levels_en.svg.png

    If you have additional questions feel free to ask!
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,020 Member
    Options
    Think of the protein as being encased and delivered like cargo. The digestion process is the key that opens that cargo container to access that protein. Basically digestion and heat starts to unravel the protein, revealing the amino acids and is exactly what we want to happen, that is how it works.

Categories