Symptoms, Precautions, and Embracing Egg-Free Alternatives

Published: 2nd August 2024 · Written by Donna Mastriani

Eggs are a staple in many people’s diets. Easy to cook in many ways and perfect for protein-packed snacks, it makes total sense. However, that assumes no egg allergy. If you think you have an allergy or egg allergy symptoms, this logical and easy snack suddenly becomes inconvenient and, in some cases, downright dangerous. Here are the essential details to get familiar with when looking at your egg-related life: allergy testing, symptoms, and how to enjoy egg-free options.

Egg allergy basics

For the most part, egg allergies are most common in life. Babies and toddlers can have allergies to eggs that they later outgrow. Studies show that introducing eggs to your baby’s diet as soon as possible can reduce their chances of having an egg allergy later in life.

In many cases, egg allergy reactions and mild, and they’ll happen soon after eating the egg. While severe reactions (such as anaphylaxis) are possible, most allergies have mild symptoms, which we’ll discuss below, so you can know what to look for.

Egg allergy symptoms

As mentioned above, egg allergy symptoms are generally mild, with only the occasional severe reaction causing anaphylaxis. The most common egg allergy symptoms include:

• Red rash
• Swelling in the face
• Vomiting or nausea
• Stomach upset or cramps
• Diarrhoea
• Eczema flare-ups

Since these symptoms can be hard to pinpoint in foods, especially if you are introducing your baby or child to a series of new foods, you’ll want to consider allergy testing to know what the problem food is and how to avoid it.

After all, for infants, how can you tell the difference between refusing to eat an egg because they “don’t like it” and because it hurts them? Allergy testing takes the guesswork right out of it.

The egg type matters

Depending on your egg allergy, one egg type may set off an allergic reaction, and another might not. An allergic reaction to an egg is caused by the egg’s protein. If the protein is changed by heat (such as cooking), you might not have an allergic reaction to eggs.

For example, eating scrambled or boiled eggs will likely cause an allergic reaction if you have an egg allergy. However, if you eat a cookie (made partially from beating eggs into the batter), you might not have an allergic reaction. The cooking/processing of the egg in the cookie batter breaks down the protein enough that you might not have an allergic reaction. Statistically, about 80% of those with egg allergies can eat a cookie baked with eggs in the batter.

This is not always the case, of course. After getting your egg allergy diagnosis, you can test to see if eggs in a cookie batter set you off the same way a plate of fried eggs will. If you are reaction-free, you can safely eat cookies, cakes, etc. If you still find you are having an allergic reaction, it might be wiser to find an egg alternative.

Egg-free alternatives to consider

If you have a severe egg allergy or you just want to properly learn how to avoid eggs if you need to, there are plenty of egg alternatives that you can consider! Some of the most common healthy and easy egg alternatives include:

• Ground flax seeds
• Apple puree
• Mashed banana
• Chia seeds

There are plenty of recipes online and instructions for using these as egg substitutes when baking so that everyone in the household can enjoy baked goods. If you’re interested, try using these alternatives before allergy testing, or you can wait until afterward to be sure of an egg allergy before changing.

How do I know when to use an egg alternative?

If your test results tell you you have an egg allergy, it’s a good idea to at least consider learning to use an egg substitute like the ones listed above. Not only does it give you flexibility, but it also helps remove any concern that you might have an allergic reaction.

That being said, as we discussed above, you don’t have to use an egg alternative if you are among the 80% of people who can tolerate baked eggs. Most of it concerns personal preference and watching for egg allergy symptoms.

Eggs are staple ingredients in dieting, cooking, and baking. However, many people with egg allergies can still have as much flexibility as anyone else when it comes to dieting, cooking, and baking. It’s all about understanding your allergy, its symptoms, and how they make you feel, and using egg substitutes when you need or want them.