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Egg Free Living

Food intolerances can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing. Symptoms may take hours or even days to appear, making it very difficult to pin-point the problem food. Some people may suspect there is a food intolerance, others just simply feel exhausted, flat, depressed and bloated with no idea why or what to do about it. 

 

If you've reached this page then you now have some answers to where your symptoms are coming from and have been advised your body is currently reacting to eggs. This may be a challenge for some to come to terms with, it is often our favourite foods that we react to most. However remember that these changes are temporary, we need to repair your digestive system and rebalance your immune system. This is done by first removing your problem foods, then we work on restoring health and aiming to reverse your intolerances by working on the underlying factors causing your intolerances.

 

If your results have shown a moderate or severe reaction to eggs, then it is recommended that you avoid all foods that contain eggs for 3 months while following the recovery program.

 

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and provide significant amounts of calcium, iron, zinc and B vitamins. However, eggs are not an essential part of your diet as there are many other commonly consumed foods that provide equivalent nutritional value.

 

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Foods to avoid

Eggs can be found in many foods such as:

  • Omelettes, quiches

  • Cakes, biscuits, sweets, meringues, ice-cream, custard

  • Steamed pudding, pancakes, crepes, cheesecakes, pavlova, crème caramel

  • Pasta, noodles

  • Chinese rice and soups, some sushi

  • Yorkshire puddings, anything coated in batter, some foods coated in breadcrumbs

  • Mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, tartar sauce, horseradish sauce, lemon curd, salad dressings 

  • Scotch eggs, gala pie, hash browns, some potato products, ready meals

  • Fresh bakery goods may not be labelled so check the ingredients with the baker

 

Note: There are many foods that contain eggs and it is important to always read the food ingredient labels carefully before purchase.

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Foods to avoid

What to look for (and avoid) on food ingredient labels:

• Albumin         • Egg powder          • Egg protein

• Egg white       • Egg yolk                • Dried egg

• Frozen egg     • Globulin                • Livetin

• Ovalbumin     • Ovaglobulin          • Ovamucin

• Ovovitellin      • Pasteurised egg   • Vitellin

 There are many foods that can be used as a substitute to egg that will provide variety to your meals and essential

nutrients. Eggs perform a different function in different dishes, so you may need a different egg substitute, depending on the dish:-

  • As a leavening/raising agent – in a cake, for example, the eggs serve as a leavening/raising agent, helping tomake the cake light and fluffy.

  • As a binder – in baked goods such as biscuits, cookies and muffins, the eggs add moisture and bind all ingredients together.

  • As main part of dish – if you're looking to substitute eggs in a quiche or a mayonnaise, where eggs are a major part of the dish, then tofu is a good alternative to mimic the consistency of the eggs. 

 

As a general rule, the fewer eggs a recipe calls for, the easier they will be to substitute. So, for example if a biscuit/cookie recipe calls for one egg, using an egg substitute will work much better than in a recipe that requires three or four eggs. It is also necessary to consider how the substitute will affect the overall taste of the finished dish. Bananas, for example, may add a welcome hint of fruity sweetness to pancakes and cookies, but may not be a good idea in casseroles or other savoury dishes!

 

  • Applesauce – 25g/1oz apple sauce can also be used in baked goods such as muffins and pancakes. Bananas and applesauce have a similar consistence to eggs, however they will not help your recipes to rise or turn out light and fluffy, so you may need to include a bit of baking powder or baking soda too.

  • White sauce – 50ml white sauce can be used for binding as in baked goods.

  • Mashed potatoes / bread crumbs – For vegetarian loaves or burgers, used mashed potatoes, fine bread crumbs, cooked rice or oatmeal, or tomato paste to bind ingredients.

  • Silken tofu – blend 25g/1oz silken tofu with liquid ingredients until tofu is smooth and creamy. While it won't alter the flavour of a recipe, using tofu as an egg substitute will make baked goods a bit on the heavy and thick side, so it works well in brownies and pancakes. It will not work so well in a cake recipe (such as Victoria Sandwich) that needs to be light and fluffy.

  • Agar powder – agar powder can be used in recipes that require egg whites. for each egg white, dissolve 1 tbsp plain agar powder in 1 tbsp water. Whip, chill and whip again.

  • Make a Flax Egg – Use 1 tbsp ground flax seed/ flax seed meal simmered in 2–3 tbsp water to replace each egg. Great for pancakes, breads, and other baking.

Here are a few of the most useful egg substitutes (ie per egg):

  • Chickpea (gram) flour – 1 tablespoon chickpea or soy flour and 1 tablespoon water

  • Arrowroot – 1 tablespoon arrowroot, 1 tablespoon soy flour and 2 tablespoons water

  • Shortening – ½ tablespoon shortening (such as lard), 2 tablespoons gluten free flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and 2 teaspoons water

  • Tofu – 50g tofu blended with the liquid portion of the recipe. Tofu is the best way to substitute eggs in dishes such as a quiche, fritatta or egg salad. The texture of silken tofu or crumbled regular tofu is surprisingly similar to boiled or cooked eggs when used in a recipe instead of eggs and, by adding a bit of mustard or turmeric to your dish will also look similar too! It is sometimes necessary to adjust other ingredients in the recipe when replacing with tofu, so it may be advisable to find a recipe with tofu if possible, rather than just replacing the eggs.

  • Banana – Mash or blend half a banana to use as an egg replacer in baked goods such as muffins, pancakes or yeast-free breads, such as pumpkin bread and banana bread.

 

Tip: Adding ground flax seeds to any recipe adds Omega-3 fatty acids to the recipe! You can buy ground flax seeds in healthfood shops the healthfood section of coles and woolworths supermarkets.

 

  • Egg substitutes – commercial options (such as Ener-G, Allergycare, Orgran) are incredibly versatile and easy to use and are available in most health foods and larger well-stocked supermarkets. They are made from soy protein, potato starch and/or tapioca starch. Some recipes may need additional moisture when replacing eggs using commercial egg replacers so it may be necessary to compensate with an extra tablespoon of water or soya milk (in addition to the instructions on the packet).

  • Commercial egg replacers are relatively flavourless and work best in baked goods, such as biscuits, muffins and cakes. They can also be used to bind ingredients together in a vegan casserole or loaf. It is important to read the labels carefully as some brands may contain egg whites.

 

Other tips for raising agents when eliminating eggs:

  • Use self-raising flour (gluten-free if gluten reaction)

  • Increase quantities of oil and baking powder

  • Add baking powder - 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder per cake

  • Try vinegar and baking soda - ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and 1 dessertspoon of cider vinegar can be used in instead of baking powder

  • Sieve flour and dry ingredients, then gently fold in the liquid to trap air

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