Do you eat egg whites on a daily basis? Then you would be very much aware of the benefits they offer.
But what about the side effects of egg white? Yes. Even egg whites do have adverse effects. Are you curious about whether egg whites are as good as they are said to be?
As you know, eggs have two parts – the yellow part that is known as yolk and the white translucent part that is known as albumin. One of the best things about eggs is their versatility. You can eat them raw, fried, poached, scrambled, boiled, and even as a curry!
Eggs are delicious as they are healthy. However, the albumin, do come with few side effects that can adversely affect your body.
Here is a look at some of the surprising egg white side effects:
1. High risk of salmonella
Raw eggs, including raw albumin, can be contaminated by bacteria. Salmonella is a bacteria that is found in the intestines of chickens. It can also be present on the outer surfaces of unbroken eggs as well as inside them. To destroy salmonella, the cooking time has to be long, and the temperature needs to be high. There is a high chance that sunny-side up and soft-boiled eggs may still contain these live bacteria.
Opt for hard-boiled eggs and fried eggs to prevent salmonella from getting into your body. As long as you do not eat raw eggs or albumin, also make sure that your eggs are always well-cooked, the bacteria do not pose any real threat.
2. Depletion of biotin
Eating raw egg whites can cause biotin depletion. Biotin is also known as Vitamin H or Vitamin B7. A deficiency in biotin causes skin conditions such as cradle cap (which affects infants) and seborrheic dermatitis (which affects adults). Lack of muscle tone and coordination, pain and cramps in muscles, seizures and hair loss, are some of the other health problems caused by biotin deficiencies.
Raw albumin contains avidin that is a protein. It is not a toxic substance, but it does rob biotin from your body. When you consume raw white eggs regularly, the biotin that your body requires keeps getting stolen by avidin. This will result in health problems within a few weeks, and these problems will continue to become worse ultimately causing serious illness.
3. Allergies
Are you aware of the fact that allergy is one of the most common side effects of egg whites? In many cases, people who are allergic to egg whites are also allergic to albumin proteins. Hives, rashes, swelling of the skin, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, wheezing, coughing, sneezing, cramps, etc., are some of the common symptoms of an allergy.
More severe symptoms can also occur with allergy to egg whites including difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, mouth and airways, as well as sudden blood pressure drop that can lead to dizziness and loss of consciousness. If you are allergic to eggs, chances are that you would be allergic to egg whites as well. It may be safest to stay away from eggs completely to make sure that you do not react dangerously to the allergy.
4. Overload of proteins
According to doctors, eating a high amount of protein can be dangerous if you suffer from kidney problems. People with low Glomerular filtration rate (GFR, which is the flow rate of fluid that the kidney filters), could be afflicted with acute kidney injury because of the high biological value of egg protein.
0.6 to 0.8 grams of protein is the recommended daily intake for people who suffer from impaired renal function. However, doctors also say that 60% of the proteins consumed should come from eggs even for those who have a low GFR. It is highly important for you to consult your doctor and discuss thoroughly about benefits and side effects of egg white before deciding to start an egg diet if you have acute liver problems.
