Most people can eat eggs safely, but several groups need to avoid them entirely or limit how many they consume. These include people with egg allergies, those with heart disease or high cholesterol, people with chronic kidney disease, and anyone at higher risk of foodborne illness from undercooked eggs. About one-third of the population also has a stronger-than-average cholesterol response to eggs, which may warrant extra caution even without a diagnosed condition.
People With Egg Allergies
Egg allergy is the second most common food allergy in infants and young children, after cow’s milk. It affects roughly 0.5 to 2.5% of young children and typically appears around 10 months of age. The most common reactions happen quickly, usually within minutes to two hours after eating. Hives and swelling are the hallmark symptoms, but gastrointestinal and respiratory reactions also occur. Anaphylaxis is possible, and children with asthma face a particularly high risk of severe reactions.
Some children experience delayed reactions instead, with eczema flares appearing 6 to 48 hours after exposure. A smaller number develop digestive conditions like eosinophilic esophagitis, a chronic inflammation of the esophagus triggered by the egg protein. Adults can also develop egg-related allergies through occupational exposure: bakery workers and people in egg-processing facilities sometimes develop asthma from inhaling aerosolized egg proteins over time.
The good news is that many children outgrow egg allergy. But until that’s confirmed through testing, complete avoidance is necessary, which means reading labels carefully since egg appears in baked goods, pasta, sauces, and many processed foods.
People With Heart Disease or High Cholesterol
A single large egg contains about 186 mg of cholesterol, nearly all of it in the yolk. For decades, dietary guidelines capped daily cholesterol intake at 300 mg. That limit was loosened in 2015 when advisory committees noted only a weak link between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels. But the pendulum has swung back somewhat: the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee recommended that people keep cholesterol intake lower, and a large meta-analysis published in Circulation found that greater egg consumption was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and overall mortality.
The American Heart Association currently recommends that healthy adults eat no more than one egg per day (or two egg whites). If you have heart disease or high cholesterol, the recommendation drops to four yolks or fewer per week. Egg whites are essentially cholesterol-free, so they remain an option for people who need to restrict yolks.
Cholesterol Hyper-Responders
Not everyone’s body handles dietary cholesterol the same way. Roughly one-third of the population are “hyper-responders,” meaning their blood cholesterol rises significantly more than average when they eat cholesterol-rich foods. In studies, the normal response to an extra 100 mg of dietary cholesterol is about a 2.2 mg/dL increase in blood cholesterol. Hyper-responders can see jumps of 12 mg/dL or more from the same amount.
Genetics play a role. People who carry the ApoE4 gene variant tend to experience more pronounced increases in LDL cholesterol from dietary cholesterol, and they already face a higher baseline risk of cardiovascular disease. If you know you carry ApoE4 (increasingly available through consumer genetic testing) or if routine bloodwork shows your cholesterol spikes after periods of higher egg intake, limiting eggs is a reasonable precaution.
People With Chronic Kidney Disease
Egg yolks are a concentrated source of phosphorus, a mineral that healthy kidneys filter out easily but damaged kidneys cannot. When phosphorus builds up in the blood, it pulls calcium from bones and can cause dangerous deposits in blood vessels and organs. The difference between yolks and whites is dramatic: whole eggs have a phosphorus-to-protein ratio of 13.4 mg per gram, while egg whites come in at just 1.4 mg per gram. That makes egg whites one of the best low-phosphorus protein sources available.
Yolks also contain high levels of choline, a precursor to a compound called TMAO that may accelerate kidney and cardiovascular damage in people with chronic kidney disease. For anyone managing kidney function, the practical takeaway is straightforward: egg whites are a smart protein choice, but whole eggs (and especially yolks) should be limited based on your kidney team’s guidance on phosphorus intake.
Groups at Risk From Undercooked Eggs
Raw and undercooked eggs can carry Salmonella, a bacterium that causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. For most healthy adults, Salmonella is unpleasant but self-limiting. For vulnerable populations, it can be dangerous or even fatal. The USDA identifies five groups at particular risk: infants, young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (from conditions like HIV, cancer treatment, or organ transplant medications).
If you fall into any of these categories, fully cooking eggs until both the white and yolk are firm eliminates the risk. That means avoiding sunny-side-up eggs, soft-boiled eggs, homemade mayonnaise, raw cookie dough, and any dish where the egg isn’t heated all the way through. Pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized liquid eggs are a safer alternative when a recipe calls for lightly cooked or raw egg.
People on Autoimmune Elimination Diets
The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, used as a short-term elimination strategy for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and rheumatoid arthritis, excludes eggs entirely during its initial phase. The rationale is that egg proteins may act as antigens that stimulate immune activity in susceptible people, potentially worsening inflammation. By removing eggs along with other common triggers like dairy, gluten, and soy, the goal is to reduce the overall burden on an already overactive immune system.
This isn’t a permanent restriction for most people. After the elimination phase (typically several weeks), eggs are reintroduced one at a time to see whether symptoms return. Some people with autoimmune conditions tolerate eggs perfectly well; others find that eggs consistently trigger flares. The exclusion is diagnostic rather than blanket advice.
Introducing Eggs to Infants
Parents sometimes wonder whether babies should avoid eggs, and the guidance has changed significantly. Major allergy organizations in Europe, North America, and Australia now recommend introducing cooked egg between 4 and 6 months of age as part of starting solid foods. Early introduction actually appears to lower the risk of developing egg allergy, even in infants with a family history of allergies.
The key detail is that eggs must be well cooked. Raw egg and uncooked pasteurized egg are not recommended for infants. European guidelines suggest starting with about half a small, well-cooked egg twice a week. There is no reason to delay egg introduction past 8 months, and doing so may increase rather than decrease allergy risk.