Can children eat eggs after having a fever?

When a child has a fever, many family members will be extremely worried. After all, a fever is much more serious than a common cold. If the fever cannot be reduced in time and the child's body cannot be adjusted, other health risks will arise. So can children eat eggs when they have a fever? After a fever, liquid and semi-liquid foods are still needed, and more foods that are easily absorbed and digested should be eaten. Even if eggs are eaten, they should not be consumed in excess.

There is a popular saying in popular science books, newspapers, magazines, and some websites that "you can't eat eggs when you have a fever." The reason given is often that "eggs are high in protein, and eating them when you have a fever can easily increase the body's basal metabolic rate, which not only fails to lower the body temperature, but will increase body heat, which is not conducive to recovery.

The so-called fever, medically known as "pyrexia", is a rise in regulated body temperature (more than 0.5°C) caused by the action of pyrogens, which shifts the body temperature set point upward. Common fever activators include exogenous pyrogens from outside the body such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, spirochetes, malarial parasites, etc.; and antigen-antibody complexes, steroids, etc. from inside the body.

Generally speaking, most of the fever we talk about is caused by bacterial or viral infection. When you have a fever, the increase in body temperature inhibits the activity of digestive enzymes in the body, leading to a decrease in digestive function, especially in the case of high fever. However, the decline in digestive tract function may be more obvious in patients with some digestive tract infections such as rotavirus, coxsackievirus, and enterovirus infections accompanied by fever.

Previously known as food-specific dynamic effect (SDA), it refers to the phenomenon of additional increase in energy expenditure caused by eating food. Eating carbohydrates (sugars) can increase energy expenditure by 5-6%, eating fat by 4-5%, and eating protein by 30-40%.

If we eat a boiled egg, which weighs about 65 grams, has a protein content of 12.8% and an edible part of 88%, an egg contains about 65×88%×12.8% grams of protein = 7.3 grams, which is converted into 7.3×4 kcal = 29.2 kcal of calories in the body. An additional 29.2×40% kcal = 12 kcal of calories is required for digestion and absorption. Moreover, this extra heat has a minimal effect on the body temperature of us adults and has little effect on young children.

Through the above introduction, everyone is clear about whether children can eat eggs when they have a fever. When eating eggs, be sure to cook them thoroughly before eating them, so that they will not be infected or invaded by bacteria. Also, be aware that one or two eggs a day is all you need, and whether you have a fever or a bad stomach, you need to limit your intake.