Important facts about egg allergy we must all know without fail!!
Can you guess the food that is most commonly eaten during breakfast in many homes?
The answer is egg and it is one of the primary sources of proteins. The eggs can be consumed either boiled or fried or as omelette also.
Health benefits of eating eggs are plenty. Intake of eggs would improve heart health, improve eye health, boost brain health etc. This is due to the presence of many ingredients in eggs like proteins, vitamins A, B, D, E, K, folate etc.
Bitter fact is that eggs are not for everybody though they are versatile and healthy. There are some people who are allergic to eggs and these people must refrain from eating eggs.
Why do egg allergies occur?
It is worthy to note here that when our immune system mistakenly identifies the proteins in the eggs as harmful foreign invaders then egg allergy occurs in us.
As per a research study conducted in 2012 it was confirmed that in infants and young children hen`s egg allergy is the second most common food allergy after cow`s milk allergy. Truth is that 0.5% to 2.5% of kids are allergic to eggs. Not only kids, even adults are allergic to eggs and they could develop this problem later on in their lives. It is learnt that 70% of the children with egg allergy would outgrow the condition by the age of 16.
Symptoms of egg allergy:
Those who are allergic to eggs would show various signs or symptoms such as hives, rashes, swelling, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, running nose, cough, wheezing etc. Sometimes, eating eggs could lead to anaphylaxis in some persons and this is a medical emergency.
Difference between egg allergy and egg intolerance:
Another term that is being used frequently in association with eggs is egg intolerance. Egg allergy is different from egg intolerance. While the former refers to immune systems overreaction to proteins present in the eggs but latter refers to symptoms related to digestion and do not include an immune reaction.
Managing egg allergy:
It was mentioned by a famous dietician from Faridabad based hospital that there is no cure for egg allergy and the only way to manage this is by totally avoiding eggs/ egg products of all types. Managing egg allergy can be done by checking the food labels carefully. It is also good to bake with substitutes like chia seeds, flaxseeds etc.
