Why Does Austin Ekeler Put Raw Eggs In His Smoothie Every Morning?
He squats 500 pounds, can bench press close to 300, and has spent years earning a reputation as one of the most powerful running backs in the NFL. His secret morning fuel? A smoothie with raw eggs cracked straight into it. The reason behind it is not some cutting-edge sports science. It is, honestly, something most people will understand immediately.
It Started With a Bad Breakfast in High School
Ekeler has a simple and deeply human explanation for the whole thing. He told Men’s Health that he had a terrible experience eating cooked eggs in high school, got sick, and never really recovered from it mentally. Cooked eggs of any kind have been off the table for him ever since.
The problem was that he still wanted everything eggs actually provide. So he found a workaround.
What Goes Into the Smoothie
The solution he landed on is simple: crack the eggs raw directly into the blender. His morning smoothie typically includes oats, fruit, and either regular milk or almond milk, with the raw eggs added for their protein and nutritional value. He picked up the smoothie routine during a trip to Australia and has stuck with it ever since.
Ekeler has also been consistent about skipping supplements entirely, preferring to get his nutrition from real food rather than powders and pills. His view is straightforward: he tried supplements early in his career, did not see results that justified them, and moved on.
Does It Actually Work the Way He Thinks?
Here is where it gets interesting. Cooking an egg actually makes its protein easier for the body to absorb. The heat unfolds the tightly coiled proteins, making them more bioavailable. Raw eggs deliver the same nutrients, but the body works harder to access them. Experts also flag the salmonella risk, recommending pasteurized eggs for anyone who wants the raw version without the gamble.
What He Eats the Rest of the Day
After the smoothie, Ekeler keeps the rest of his meals intentionally simple. Lunch is typically diced chicken with white rice and a vegetable mix of peas, cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli, finished with Szechuan sauce for flavor. Dinner is often a remix of whatever is left from lunch, sometimes turned into a chicken sandwich with barbecue sauce.
He has said eating the same meals does not bore him as long as the seasoning changes it up enough.
The Cheat Day That Balances It All
On cheat days, all of that discipline gets shelved for pizza, wings, or his go-to fast food order at Taco Bell. It is a reminder that even one of the strongest players in the NFL is still, at heart, just a person who got sick eating eggs once and never fully got over it.
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