Flickr: Robert S. Donovan
Quick Facts:
- One of the most common food allergies in children is egg allergy.
- Some vaccinations, such as flu shots, contain egg proteins and people who are severely allergic to eggs cannot take those vaccine.
- Even though people are generally only allergic to either the white or yolk of an egg, it is impossible to completely separate white from yolk, so people with egg allergies must avoid all yolks, whites, and (in the world of Dr. Seuss) greens.
What’s Egg Allergy?
People with egg allergy have a hypersensitive reaction to dietary substances that contain the whites or yolk of an egg. Eggs cause an overreaction of the immune system to those who are allergic and can lead to severe physical symptoms. These symptoms include: hives, eczema, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, wheezing, coughing, runny nose, swelling, fast heartbeat, and at worse, anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction and when one goes into anaphylic shock, the release of histamine causes throat swelling, breathing difficulty, heart failure, circulatory collapse, and sometimes death. Egg allergy mainly affects children, although it can persist into adulthood.
What to Do, What to Eat?!?!
Because the symptoms of egg allergy can be drastic and the presence of eggs can be hidden, avoiding eggs is an overwhelming task for people or parents of children who are allergic to eggs. Unexpected sources of eggs can be found in pastas, baked goods, foam toppings on coffee drinks and cakes, sauces, marshmallows, nougats, and even egg substitutes! Even though the federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires all companies that sell packaged foods with egg as an ingredient to list the word “Egg” on their labels, the foods may still be processed in a factory with equipment that is also used for egg containing products, thus, creating the risk of cross-contamination.
How Fitsme Can Help
One of the few ways to be absolutely sure about what goes into your food is to cook at home. Fitsme helps you discover recipes that fit your lifestyle. With our Food Personality Builder you can tell us the foods you like, the foods you could do without, and the foods you must avoid, and our app will curate a set of recipes that accommodate your allergies, diet restrictions, and taste buds.
As for folks who don’t eat yolks, make sure to note that in your food personality. See how we can help make your life a little easier by signing up today
-By Brian Van
Sources:
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