The egg has a high nutritional value, due to the high amount of proteins it contains. It provides all the essential amino acids that our body needs for a good nutritional status. It contains vitamins A, B and D, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc. But, what happens if you are allergic?
We know that allergies affect millions of people worldwide, and there are all kinds. Some of the most common allergies are to food when consumed or simply manipulated generates an adverse reaction to the body. Therefore we must be attentive to the presence of certain symptoms and signs as we could be allergic to a particular food, and unknowingly continue consuming what affects us. Today we discuss in detail one of these foods: the chicken egg.
Why does egg allergy occur?
Before the first contact with food, our body increases its awareness. It is also a highly consumed food because of its low cost and its great utility for many dishes and other products. The egg substance that produces allergy most commonly is protein albumin, which is found in egg white, although up to 24 different proteins have been detected in the egg white that can cause allergy. It is also possible to develop allergy to some type of yolk protein. In addition, protein albumin is present in most bird eggs, so that allergy is not only manifested with the chicken egg, which is usually the type of egg most consumed.
When someone has egg allergy what happens is that his immune system reacts against this food because it is particularly sensitive to him. In other words, the immune system produces Immunoglobulin E (IgE), responsible for “attack” of egg proteins.
When a person eats eggs or any food containing it, or even if it is in contact with this food, an allergic reaction occurs.
Symptoms of egg allergy
We must clarify that, like other types of allergies – there is a wide range of possible reactions, which vary in different people. Some of them may be very mild, just a simple discomfort, such as itching feeling in the throat or mouth to consume it.
But others may be a more serious, and may even result in the death of the person; therefore we must not minimize the fact to be able to suffer an allergy.
Among the most common symptoms of egg allergy, we can highlight skin reactions, which can be hives, skin redness, itching, swollen lips and eyelids. It is also common that those who have this condition have consequences in the digestive system: pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and vomiting.
In minor cases other symptoms such as conjunctivitis, coughing, mucus liquid and even changes in the voice. The most worrying consequences of egg allergy are difficulty for breathing and swallowing, in which case should go immediately to the emergency room.
If you had any of these symptoms and you think it may be related to a possible egg allergy, keep in mind two things. First, allergic reactions occur in the short term, usually within an hour of contact with the food. Second, these symptoms are not unique to egg allergy, but they are typical of different food allergies. Therefore ideally test to accurately determine if an allergy is and what element exactly.
How egg allergy diagnosed?
First, it often happens that the presence of any symptoms that we have described, one can detect this relationship between that food and what happens, or well in the medical consultation arises this as the possible cause of these reactions.
The derivation is required in any of the cases to a specialist in allergies, who perform a study to determine the existence or not of that problem. The patient’s medical history, skin tests with fresh food, serological tests (specific IgE blood) and exposure tests (egg ingestion) will be carefully examined. These tests should be performed under controlled conditions, because we do not know the reaction that the allergic person may have. In addition, these tests should be performed annually to observe the evolution of the allergy.
That is, simple studies that will allow you to detect what you are doing wrong and allow reorganize your diet to no longer suffer from these problems.
Foods that may contain egg and its protein
Believe it or not, there are actually many foods and food products in their composition may contain egg. In fact, it is very common to be found eggs or egg proteins in pastries or bakery products (such as cookies, candy, sweets, puddings …), pasta, bread, sausage, ice cream, cheeses, gelatins, some margarines and butters, sauces and soups.
We must bear in mind that the proteins of the egg should appear specified on food labels. And how can we identify them? We can find as albumin, emulsifier, globulin, lecithin or E-322, coagulant, livetin, lysozyme, ovalbumin, ovomucin, ovomucoid, ovovittelin, vitellin or E-161b (also known as yellow pigment or lutein).
Also, it can be found in cosmetics and some medicines and drugs. For example, soaps, gels, shampoos or creams. And certain drugs, nasal drops with lysozyme or multivitamins.
In addition, it is important to know that some of the most common vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine, the MMR vaccine (measles, rubella, mumps, yellow fever and some presentations of hepatitis A), when grown in chicken embryo, which may contain small amounts of egg protein, although they are usually tolerated by allergy sufferers, it is important that health personnel have evidence of the existence of this allergy.
How to replace egg for cooking
When we suffer from egg allergy, we have to look for alternatives when cooking.
For a mixture of chickpea flour and water until a consistency similar to that of the tortilla, the secret is to let it rest a few moments after cooking.
To palm trees brush, croissant or similar
Vegetable margarine melted with sugar and water.
1 teaspoon of agar-agar diluted in 1 glass of boiling water together with 1 teaspoon of vegetable margarine.
In batters it can be substituted by
Special flour for batters (it does not contain egg).
Flour for cooking without egg (also used for baking).
Tempura flour.
Soy flour diluted in water (4 tablespoons of water for every 2 of flour for each egg that needs to be replaced).
Ground flaxseed diluted in water (4 tablespoons of water for every 2 flaxseed).
What do you think of these tricks?