What can be more unpleasant than having bouts of diarrhea after eating a hearty breakfast in the morning that included eggs among others? Let us know why eating eggs may make you bedridden.
Egg is popular for its richness in protein besides being a storehouse of other vital nutrients. It is a popular ingredient in a myriad of cuisines across the world. But sometimes, this very popular food can give you a hard time by increasing your trips to the bathroom. Let us know how…
Do You Love to Eat Raw Eggs?
Bodybuilders and those who want to put on some muscle mass love to include raw eggs in their diets. However, most people shy away from eating this pulpy yellow-white thing without properly cooking it. Moving on from the eternal debate about the benefits of raw food vs cooked food, we can safely that uncooked eggs are good for health but some people might find it difficult to digest the eggs in the raw form. You see, heating eggs leads to the breakdown of the protein molecular structure and allows our digestive system in completing its job. If you are experiencing upset stomach after eating one too many raw eggs, then perhaps you might be lacking the ability to digest the raw egg proteins.
Are You Sure the Eggs are Fresh?
If you are suffering from diarrhea after having egg special meal outside your home, then you have a good reason to suspect the eggs could have been spoiled. Ingestion of bad eggs can lead to diarrhea along with vomiting and slight fever within 12 to 72 hours of consumption. Another reason behind diarrhea can be food poisoning. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that is responsible for contaminating eggs. The bacteria enters the egg through broken or cracked shell, resulting in food poisoning. The eggs can also get contaminated through unsafe practices in the poultry farms or even inside the hen itself. According to CDC (Center of Disease Control and Prevention), 2 in every 100 people in USA are infected with salmonellosis every year.
Recovery from salmonella poisoning is completely possible, sometimes without any treatment. The symptoms of food poisoning that occur are cramps, fever, vomiting apart from diarrhea. They may continue for 4 to 7 days. However, acute salmonella infection requires hospitalization and can also lead to death.
What About Egg Allergy – Do You Have Any?
Egg allergy is another reason which is responsible for uncontrollable bowel movement. Eggs are made of many proteins, but the four of them that cause problems are ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin and lysozyme. These are found in egg white and to a lesser extent, in the egg yolk. Each time eggs or any food item consisting of egg enters your digestive system, your body will think that these proteins are harmful invaders, if you are allergic to eggs. Your immune system responds to this, by creating antibodies to that food. These antibodies that are designed to fight off the ‘invader’, trigger the release of certain chemicals into your body, one of which is histamine. So if you have an egg allergy and consumed food that contains eggs, the immune system unleashes an army of chemicals to protect your body. The release of these chemicals can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and the cardiovascular system and lead to allergy symptoms.
You might experience many problems apart from diarrhea if you have an egg allergy. Egg allergy is similar to most food allergies and it usually happens within minutes to hours after consuming eggs or egg based products. Most of the reactions last for less than a day. Egg allergy symptoms on the skin can appear in the form of red bumps, hives, redness and swelling around the mouth or eczema. Also, your gastrointestinal tract may be affected in the form of belly cramps, nausea or even vomiting. Symptoms of allergic reaction affecting the respiratory tract can range from a runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, and sneezing to the triggering of asthma with coughing and wheezing. If your doctor suspects that you have an allergic reaction to eggs, he or she will recommend you an allergy specialist for further testing.
Be Wary With Eggs
Exercise precaution while buying eggs. Even though there are not many foolproof ways from singling out a bad egg from a bunch of good ones, you can safeguard yourself to some extent by purchasing only refrigerated eggs. For the purpose of eating out, you should go to restaurants which have hygienic and safe kitchens because most of the food poisoning cases occur after eating non-home-cooked food. Also, avoid egg based dishes which are made with partially cooked or raw eggs, to be on the safer side.
If eggs are not amongst your fave foods, you might think that getting rid of egg allergy is simple if you just stop eating eggs. But there are so many foods that are made with eggs and egg products that it can be really difficult to know what to avoid and what not to. To solve the problem of the egg allergy, you can consult a registered dietitian. The dietitian will help you develop an eating plan that will ensure that all the nutrients you need are consumed by you, while avoiding the things you are allergic to.
The best way to be sure whether a food item is egg-free or not is to read the label on the packing. To confirm that the foods you eat are egg-free, you will need to look out for any ingredient that might come from eggs. If you eat in a restaurant or at a friend’s house, you can try to find out how foods are cooked and what are the ingredients. You can always use egg-free alternatives in foods that usually contain eggs, such as pasta. Also, when cooking at home, carefully scrub the utensils used for making food items containing egg. If the diarrhea is not caused due to egg allergy and you tested negative in the allergy test, then probably the cause is eating raw or contaminated eggs. You must consult a doctor before taking any anti-diarrhea medicine.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.
