How is preparation week going? Does anyone have any questions?
THINGS TO DO:
Read through your E book.
Complete your questionnaire.
Find a few meals that will cover your first 5 days so that you get a smooth start in starting your programme. Maybe even batch cook.
Today we look at EGGS.
There are reasons why I suggest omitting for 7 days, except for the vegetarians/athletes who may struggle with adequate protein.
Generally speaking, eggs are an excellent source of protein and can improve the nutrient value to many meals.
Unfortunately, there is recent research to indicate that many of the eggs being sold are contaminated with toxins such as dioxins. The article is from 2022 and even grass fed eggs in Denmark were contaminated at high levels. Maybe not so much an issue for us, but for the growing child this could have numerous health issues.
https://www.ehn.org/pollution-food-2657596238.html
While the most common food allergies include peanuts and dairy, did you know that eggs are also a common food allergy and food sensitivity?
Egg intolerant people tend to be okay with egg yolks and have an adverse reaction to the albumen in egg whites. While an egg allergy involves a chemical reaction in the body, an egg intolerance means that a person cannot process and absorb the egg whites (or egg yolks), often causing a wide range of symptoms. These can include digestive issues like bloating, nausea, stomach pain, and stomach cramping, as well as headaches, acne or skin problems, trouble breathing, heartburn, irritability, and nervousness.
Egg white contains forty-seven different types of proteins – from a nutritional perspective, egg white appears to be a healthful protein source with an amino acid composition capable of stimulating rapid muscular growth. In the human digestive tract, enzymes called proteases (trypsin and chymotrypsin) normally break down proteins into their smaller constituent amino acids so that they can be absorbed across the intestines (as you read with gluten!).
However, egg white protein contains high concentrations of compounds that work against the protease enzymes making them less effective in breaking down the egg white proteins.
One egg white protein called lyzozyme is capable of surviving acid in the gut and therefore arrives intact in the lower gastrointestinal tract.
These lyzozymes can cross the intestinal barrier and get into the bloodstream where they can interact with the immune system, and therefore trigger an immune response which may be a health concern in some individuals.
Could you have an egg intolerance? An affordable, accurate, and personal way to understand any food intolerance is to track your symptoms after eating eggs in a food diary, providing as much detail as possible over a day or two, as some symptoms won’t show up immediately.
By keeping a food journal, you can better understand your symptoms and even show your doctor to help determine if you have a food intolerance. For those with a diagnosed or suspicion of egg intolerance: the particles from eggs can leave the liver cells within 90 days providing they are avoided altogether for that time. Remember that aqua-faba from chickpeas can be used for binding (like egg whites) – flax egg is also great.
