Is eating eggs with soft yolk dangerous? Nutritionist clarifies this doubt

Egg is a controversial food. Its consumption has already been considered harmful to health, but new studies have shown that it is good, as long as it is in moderation and following some important guidelines.

One of them is the recommendation of ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency), which says that the ideal thing is that eggs are boiled for at least seven minutes, so that there are no chances of contamination.

This recommendation has to do with the presence of salmonella, a bacteria that can be present in eggs and, if ingested, can cause health problems for the body.

What is salmonella?

Nutritionist Simone Bach, from the YouTube channel Cozinha Bach, explains that salmonella is a bacteria present in the intestines of some animals and that, in eggs, it can settle in the shell and then contaminate other parts of the food.

That’s why it’s important that the egg is very well cooked before being consumed. And eating raw eggs or eggs with a soft yolk is not recommended. But, in addition to being the preference of many people because of the flavor or consistency, soft eggs also have benefits.

Precautions when consuming the soft yolk

The soft yolk is a source of choline, a vitamin that acts on brain function and helps prevent diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

But, before consuming it in this way, some simple precautions are necessary so that there is no risk, such as buying only eggs certified by the Ministry of Agriculture and always choosing eggs that are very fresh, up to seven days after the date of manufacture.

Another important tip has to do with storage. Eggs should stay inside the fridge and not on the door, where there is a greater temperature variation and, consequently, a greater risk of cracking and contamination.

And it is recommended to wash in running water only at the time of preparation, as storing eggs with a wet shell increases the chances of the bacteria penetrating.