How Long Does It Take to Digest Eggs?

Wondering how long it takes to our stomach to digest eggs? In that article, we will explore how much time it will take, factors that can affect the digestion time, how difficult they are for our stomach to digest them and how to shorten the digestion time of the eggs. Interested? Let’s dive in!

Did you plan to add more eggs to your daily healthy diet? Well, it may not be a surprise because eggs are considered a super food as they are rich in proteins and other valuable nutrients for our bodies.

But if you have any issues with your digestive system, you should pay attention to their digestion time and how long it will to your stomach to digest eggs if we compare them with other ingredients.

If you’re looking for a short answer for the egg digestion time, then it is more complicated as the exact time of the eggs digestion depends on a lot of factors like are: the health of your digestive system, how fast it is, your age, gender, how physically active you are, if you eat the eggs on an empty stomach, how the eggs were cooked and so on.

Because of that, read further to find the most appropriate answer for your situation.

How Long Does It Take to Digest Eggs?

As a general rule, it should take around 30 minutes to digest an egg yolk and 45 minutes if you eat the egg whole. A whole egg takes longer to digest because it contains a specific form of protein that is harder for our bodies to digest as it needs a specific enzyme to break down the protein from the egg whites.

Are Eggs Hard to Digest?

If we compare only the digestion time of the eggs in comparison with other foods, they are considered an easy-to-digest ingredient because our bodies will need around 45 minutes to digest a whole egg.

However, it may be tricky to digest the eggs because they contain a specific protein with a unique structure that requires specific enzymes to break them down into smaller units that can be absorbed and used by the body.

Is Eating Eggs Bad for Digestion?

Well, it depends. Generally speaking, you shouldn’t have any issues with eating and digestion of the eggs, but some people may have an intolerance, allergies, or other digestive symptoms after eating eggs.

Because of that, you should pay attention and note how your body reacts when eating eggs. If you don’t have any abdominal pain or gas, you should be safe to include eggs in your healthy diet. If you feel any discomfort, consult your nutritionist.

Benefits of Eating Eggs

Should you include eggs in your healthy diet? Well, eggs are a great source of proteins and are low in fat if we ignore the egg yolk.

An average egg will provide you with about 5 grams of proteins, which is essential for our body as it helps tissue growth, repair, and maintenance.

Another reason you may like and should consider adding eggs to your daily diet is that they are very versatile, and you can add them to almost any meal in different forms, even in some sandwiches or salads.

What Is the Easiest Way to Digest Eggs?

The most important factor determining how easy it is to digest the eggs is how you will cook them and what other foods you will serve them near.

For example, a boiled egg will be easier for our stomach to digest than a fried egg because when we fry eggs, we add additional fat that slows down the digestion time.

Also, try to cook the eggs thoroughly because undercooked eggs present a specific protein not fully denatured by cooking. It is more difficult for our digestive system to break it down into smaller components.

Best Time to Eat Eggs?

If you have some issues with the digestive system, consider eating in the first part of the day, for breakfast or lunch, as they are rich in proteins and will keep you full for a more extended period.

If you have a healthy digestive system, consider eating them throughout the day without any other time restriction.

Just keep in mind that in the second part of the day, especially in the last hours before sleeping, our digestive system is slowing down, and the eggs may sit longer in your stomach and cause discomfort.

How Many Eggs Should You Eat a Day?

Limiting yourself to 1-3 eggs per day is recommended because if you eat more, you may have issues with the cholesterol in your blood. If you have some problems with your sugar level or are at risk for heart failure, consider eating no more than 1-2 eggs per day.

American Heart Association recommends that adults eat no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol per day, equivalent to one to two eggs per day.

But keep in mind that besides the eggs, you may find cholesterol in other animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, or dairy products.

How to Improve Digestion?

If you want to take the most nutrients from eggs, then eating them near other foods like vegetables or whole grains is recommended.

Eating eggs in combination with other products will slow down the digestion process, and your body will be easier to digest and extract all the nutrients from the eggs.

Bottom Line

As the digestion time can vary from one person to another, and there are some factors like how the eggs are cooked, if you eat them alone or in combination with other ingredients, as a general rule, it will take you around 45-60 minutes to eat a whole egg.