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Are Powdered Eggs Good for You?

Jun 12, 2011 | By Suzanne S. Wiley
Are Powdered Eggs Good for You?
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The last-minute rush to boil the eggs in your refrigerator or to bake something really fast can make for an annoying interruption of your day. You don't really have a choice, though, if you don't want to waste those left-behind eggs. An alternative is to use powdered eggs. While processed food doesn't always have the best reputation in terms of being good for you, powdered eggs have some distinct advantages that make them a convenient addition to your pantry.

Identification

Powdered eggs are dehydrated eggs crushed into a powder. They are available as powdered whites, yolks and whole eggs; the whites are sometimes sold as meringue powder. Powdered eggs generally contain the same nutrition as regular eggs, although poor storage conditions can destroy nutrients. Powdered egg whites, like regular egg whites, are protein-heavy and do not have cholesterol, and powdered whole eggs and yolks contain B vitamins and vitamin D.

Considerations

With powdered eggs, you aren't breaking open shells and getting liquid egg over your hands, limiting the mess. This limits bacterial contamination and lowers your risk of contracting food poisoning. Powdered eggs are required to be pasteurized in the United States, which makes them okay for use in uncooked dishes. Some egg substitutes and freeze-dried products may contain powdered eggs, but those substitutes and products might not be pasteurized themselves. Adding powdered egg whites to foods such as shakes, mashed potatoes and meatloaf is one way to increase the amount of protein in your diet without increasing the total volume of food that you eat.

Good for Your Budget

Powdered eggs have financial benefits; they have a much longer shelf life than shell eggs, so you don't have to rush to use up remaining eggs before they go bad, or deal with eggs that have gone bad prematurely. Powdered eggs don't have to be refrigerated as long as you can keep them in a cool, dry, tightly sealed container, so if the power goes out or your refrigerator breaks down, you won't lose your supply of powdered eggs. Powdered eggs give you consistent results in baking. This is an advantage if you make a favorite recipe repeatedly; you don't have to worry about different egg quality changing the final dish every time you make it.

Cautions

Drying eggs does not eliminate anything but moisture, so do not use powdered eggs if you are allergic to eggs, and don't feed foods with powdered eggs to others with allergies. If using the eggs in cooked recipes, follow food safety practices and bring the eggs to at least 160 degrees F. Be aware that powdered eggs are not the same as "dried egg mix," which is a mix of egg powder plus oil, salt and milk powder, or "all-purpose egg mix," which is egg powder plus oil, salt, starch and a preservative.

References

Article reviewed by Aldene Fredenburg Last updated on: Jun 12, 2011

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