Egg Allergy and Intolerance?

What Is The Difference Between An Egg Intolerance And An Egg Allergy?

Egg intolerance, also known as egg sensitivity, is an IgG reaction which are relatively common. This compares to an egg allergy which is an IgE reaction and which are comparatively uncommon.

If you have an intolerance to egg, your body may react to the protein present in either the white, the yolk or both.

Should you have an egg intolerance, it is advisable to avoid eggs altogether and this includes those from ducks, quail and geese which contain similar proteins to chicken eggs.

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Suffering from IBS, headaches, bloating, tiredness? These are often signs of a food sensitivity or a food intolerance affecting your daily life.

The Premium Food Sensitivity Test is our most comprehensive test and analyzes IgG reactions to 200 food and drink ingredients.

Optimize your lifestyle with our support, knowing which foods you’re reacting to.

Tests are HSA and FSA accepted
Expert analysis from our accredited laboratory
Results guidebook with a food and drinks diary
82% of customers experienced a positive impact on their health*

Customers must be aged 18 years or over to take this test. For under 18s take our Junior Food Sensitivity Test. This test is not recommended for customers who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Egg allergy for children

Egg allergy is one of the most common allergies suffered by children. Most symptoms are not severe (although can potentially be so), and is best managed through eliminating egg from the childs diet. The majority of children that have anallergic reaction to eggs will outgrow this. (PubMed.gov)

What Are The Symptoms Of An Egg Intolerance?

Egg intolerance symptoms are not immediately apparent and can be delayed for up to 72 hours. They vary in severity and can affect a person both physically and psychologically. Whilst egg intolerance symptoms are not life threatening, they can be unpleasant and difficult to live with. Typical symptoms of a food intolerance include:

IBS
bloating
stomach ache

severe headaches
migraines

eczema
acne
itchiness
rashes

a lack of energy
“brain fog”
lethargy

persistent aching
swelling of the joints

depression
anxiety

Respiratory complaints

Egg Intolerance Fatigue

YorkTest conduct customer sourveys to collect data on the symtoms suffered from food intolerances. Egg intolerance fatigue and lethargy are common, as shown in this case study.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Egg Allergy?

Egg allergy symptoms are very different to those of an egg intolerance in several ways. Firstly, egg allergy symptoms present immediately, unlike egg intolerance symptoms which can take several days to present. Secondly, egg allergy symptoms can be more severe than those of an intolerance and, in extreme cases, an allergic reaction can even be life threatening.Thirdly, there is a difference in symptoms that present from an egg intolerance and egg allergy. Symptoms of an egg allergy could include:

– Wheezing or difficulty breathing

– Skin issues such as swelling, egg allergy rash or hives

– Stomach pain, vomiting, nausea or diarrhoea

– Anaphylaxis – hypersensitive reaction, which can be life threatening

If you experince any egg allergy symtoms, you must stop eat egg products.

Can You Outgrow An Egg Intolerance?

Yes, it is possible to no longer react to eating eggs by cutting them out for a period of weeks before reintroducing them back into your diet. This is known as a food elimination diet.

When eliminating eggs, it is important that they are replaced with nutritious alternatives to ensure that your diet remains balanced.

Eliminating eggs for a period of time doesn’t always work to resolve an intolerance but sometimes eating lower amounts of eggs can mean you can tolerate eggs again.

Egg intolerance, like other food intolerances, is not necessarily permanent. Once you have had a food intolerance test that shows an IgG reaction to eggs, you can trial an elimination diet by cutting out egg for a few weeks to see if symptoms ease off, then reintroducing egg in small doses. You may find that you can tolerate a specific amount and you only experience egg intolerance symptoms if you consume more than a certain amount.

Is there a test for an egg allergy?

If you suspect that you are allergic to egg, you should see your doctor as soon as possible.

How do I get tested for an egg intolerance?

Whilst symptoms associated with an egg intolerance or senstivity are less extreme than an allergic reaction, they can still be very disruptive to a person’s life. You can obtain a Food Sensitivity Test from yorktest.

With a simple home-to-laboratory finger-prick test, yorktest can tell you whether or not your body is producing IgG antibody reactions to the food and drinks that you are consuming.

As individuals, our reactions to food and drink varies a great deal and an ingredient that causes a problem for one person could be completely okay for another. Fortunately, our team are on hand to identify your own personal “food fingerprint”.

It is thought that 45% of people have some kind of intolerance and usually, it is more than one ingredient that the body is reacting to. We find that the average person who is intolerant* reacts to 4 or 5 ingredients and it can often be something unexpected in your diet, which is causing an IgG reaction.

Contact The Yorktest Team – friendly experts with tons of knowledge on food intolerance.

Real Stories – Real-life stories from people who came to yorktest to identify their intolerance and then optimised their diet.

*yorktest define food intolerance as a food-specific IgG reaction.

Can You Be Intolerant To Egg Yolks?

It is possible for people suffering from egg intolerance to be specifically intolerant to egg yolk. If you are suffering from an egg intolerance you could have problems digesting the proteins from the whole egg itself, the egg yolk or even just the egg white.

Knowing whether it is the yolk or white that is the problem is really important, and can really help adjust your lifestyle. For example, omelettes can be made with just egg yolks or just egg whites, according to the food intolerance. If you have an intolerance just to one specific part of the egg – for example the yolks – it is therefore still possible to eat some egg products and dishes without suffering any symptoms.

Which foods contain egg?

There are many products which contain egg, either to bind or to thicken. Being aware of these is important when making changes to optimise your diet. The following list of ingredients can contain egg and should be avoided if you have an intolerance:

Bread and cakes
Pancakes and Yorkshire puddings
Quiches
Desserts
Sauces and spreads
Mayonnaise
Ice cream
Some meat products

Does egg have any other names on packaging?

As an ingredient, egg is often given other names which can make it difficult to identify on product packaging so it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with these. The following names are also used for egg:

Yolk and egg white
Albumin
Globulin
Lecithin (E322)
Egg derived lysozyme (E1105)
Ovomucoid
Ovovitellin
Livetin

Egg replacements for a balanced diet

1 egg equates to about 15% of the daily requirement for protein and so eggs are important, particularly for those following a vegetarian diet. Eggs are a source of vitamin A, B, D and E and also provides calcium, phosphorus and iron. To ensure a balanced and nutritious diet when omitting eggs, include a varied mix of the following foods:

Milk, meat and fish-based proteins
Beans and legumes
Nuts and seeds

When looking to directly replace egg in cooking or baking, there are alternatives which mimic the binding or thickening properties of egg such as:

‘Ogran No Egg’
Mashed fruits (binding)
Cornstarch (thickening)
Avocado

If you have found out that you are intolerant to egg, changing your diet need not be daunting. yorktest nutritional therapists are here to help you understand how to optimize your food choices.