Egg allergy is more common in children than in adults. In fact, for the majority of children who are allergic, the allergy goes away by the time the child is 5 to 7 years old. However, it is possible that the allergy could be lifelong.
Egg white seems to be to blame for these allergies. The albumen it contains provokes an immune reaction in those who are allergic. Even if you’re only allergic to the white, it’s advisable to avoid eggs altogether, both the white and the yolk, as it’s difficult to separate them completely. What’s more, even though the structure of proteins changes during cooking, the majority of people who are allergic will have a reaction even when the eggs are thoroughly cooked. If in doubt, consult your allergist.
Ingredients to Avoid if You Are Allergic to Eggs
Eggs can hide behind other names in processed foods. If you are allergic, you’ll need to ensure you are completely eliminating eggs from your diet. Take a look at this list and avoid all products that contain the following ingredients2:
Albumen/albumin
Conalbumin
Eggnog
Egg substitutes
Eggs from duck, goose, quail and chicken
Globulin
Lecithin
Livetin
Lysozyme
Meringue
Silico-albuminate
Simplesse
Vitelline
All the ingredients starting with «ovo» (ovoglobulin, ovomucin, ovovitellin, ovotransferrin, etc.)
Any part of the egg (white, yolk, dehydrated, powdered, solids, frozen, pasteurized, etc.)
To replace eggs in a recipe, you can use this recipe for egg substitute. Fancy eating scrambled eggs but can’t? Try our recipe for scrambled tofu, which really resembles eggs!
Recommendations
Here are some recommendations for eating eggs:
General population: 1 egg/day or up to 7 eggs/week3
People with Diabetes: maximum 6 eggs/week3
People in secondary prevention, that is those who have already had a cardiovascular event, and are at higher risk should follow the advice of their doctor and/or dietitian. We generally recommend a maximum of 2 whole eggs per week.
Eggs are interesting from a nutritional point of view, because they contain several anti-inflammatory nutrients (such as lutein, zeaxanthin and some phospholipids). They should therefore be part of a healthy diet.
Egg-based Recipes
To start cooking with eggs, or to get inspiration, here are a few recipes where egg is the star of the show:
Virtanen, JK et al. (March 2016). Associations of egg and cholesterol intakes with carotid intima-media thickness and risk of incident coronary artery disease according to apolipoprotein E phenotype in men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(3):895-901. Retrieved from : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26864369
Member of the Quebec College of Dietitians (ODNQ) and Dietitians of Canada,Jef graduated from McGill University in December 2014. Recently graduated and passionate about culinary arts, Jef poses a simple, effective and practical look at daily meal planning. With this in mind, she works in conjunction with the mission of SOSCuisine...
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