For most of us, eggs are a staple in our diets. Whether you enjoy it as a breakfast food or a vital ingredient in your favourite pudding, eggs are in most pantries around the USA. With World Egg Day here, it may interest you to learn that egg intolerance is common and can lead to some much-needed diet changes! Learn about the difference between an egg intolerance and an egg allergy. You also will learn how intolerance testing can be vital to putting mysterious symptoms to rest!
Egg intolerance vs. Egg allergy
If you are intolerant or allergic to eggs, you are reacting to a protein in the egg itself. This protein is in the egg white, though there is a small amount in the egg yolk. Allergy experts report that egg white is the most common allergy in the USA.
Egg allergies and intolerances can be mild, moderate, or severe. Even if you only have a mild egg allergy, you will want to know how to limit or cut out eggs from your diet. Food allergies are always serious, and you’ll want to keep that in mind when planning your diet!
If you have an egg intolerance, there is leniency in keeping or removing eggs from your diet. Whether mild or severe, egg intolerance is essentially a form of indigestion where your digestive tract doesn’t have the enzyme to digest the egg’s protein properly. Even though the symptoms can be very painful, they will not harm you as an egg allergy could.
Do I have to remove all eggs from my diet?
If you have an egg allergy or moderate to severe egg intolerance, removing eggs from your diet is the only way to keep your daily diet comfortable. That being said, you may not need to remove all types of eggs.
Some people can tolerate well-cooked eggs but can not handle loosely cooked or raw eggs. In this case, cooked eggs refer to when you are using egg as an ingredient in a recipe (such as a pudding). Loosely-cooked eggs refer to egg products (fried or boiled eggs, for example). Raw eggs would be a food product that uses literal raw eggs, such as fresh mayonnaise.
Most can handle well-cooked egg products because the allergic or intolerant protein changes from the cooking heat and is less likely to cause a reaction. Statistically, 80% of those with egg allergies can handle well-cooked eggs. However, you will want to pursue allergy or intolerance testing before you try this out so that you know the severity of your reaction potential!
You’ll always want to consult with your GP or allergy specialists if you aren’t sure. It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry about your health.
How to live with an egg white intolerance
If your test results show egg intolerance, you’ll want to determine what products contain eggs and how much of each you can tolerate. Food intolerances are so personalised that what works for your sister wouldn’t work for you, and vice versa. Experiment and explore the egg potential.
Eggs hide everywhere
Using World Egg Day as an awareness day, there are so many products in the USA that contain eggs! They are a staple ingredient, after all. Some food products are more obvious: baked goods such as cakes and egg pasta. You’ll also want to oversee the ingredient list on glazed goods, as they often are egg-based glazes.
Examples of hidden eggs include pasta sauces, meat products, and frostings. You’ll also want to read ingredient lists on flavoured crisps and other commercial products to know what you are dealing with.
The good news is that you can find various resources online for egg substitutes and egg alternatives to enjoy your favourite recipes. There are also a lot of options online for egg-free baking and cooking. Since it is now classified as the most common allergy in the USA, it’s no wonder why. Not sure if you are reacting to egg or something else (such as gluten)? At-home intolerance testing could give you the valuable information that you need on World Egg Day.
Eggs are great options in our diets when we can eat them safely. But since they are a problem for a lot of people in the USA, it’s reassuring to know that the correct information and the proper access to alternatives and replacements can come in handy for a comfortable, delicious choice when wanting to make diet changes that will do the right thing for your digestive tract and your immune system!
