Food allergies are extremely common. Around 10% of people in the world suffer from some sort of food allergy. Food allergies are different from just feeling uneasy after eating certain foods. They are much more severe and, in some cases, can even take your life if not treated immediately.
Let us talk about the symptoms of food allergies and the top 5 foods that cause allergies.
What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy occurs when your body’s immune system reacts to certain foods. As a result, your histamine levels rise, and you experience inflammation.
Symptoms of Food Allergy
Some common symptoms of food allergy are:
- Difficulty breathing
- Watery eyes
- Rashes/itchiness
- Vomiting
- Low blood pressure
- Hives
- Diarrhea
- Swollen face, mouth, or tongue (difficulty in speech)
5 Foods That Cause Allergies
1. Milk
Milk allergies occur when the body’s immune system responds negatively to the proteins in milk. Milk allergy is most common in infants and toddlers, but most people suffer from this allergy even in their adulthood. These people must stay away from milk-based and processed foods that have high milk protein content.
Do not mistake having a milk allergy for being lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is different and simply means having digestive problems in breaking down the enzymes in milk.
A good substitute for milk can be almond, soy, or coconut milk, given that you are not allergic to any of these foods.
2. Peanuts
Peanuts are responsible for causing many fatal allergic reactions around the world. Around 16% to 21% of children have a peanut allergy that they grow out of as they get older. Peanut allergy is hereditary in many known cases. People with parents or relatives with peanut allergies are most likely to develop it as well. Peanut allergies can immediately cause difficulty in breathing, rashes, and swelling.
3. Eggs
Egg proteins are common foods that cause allergies in children who are 6 years old or younger. However, tolerance towards eggs changes frequently over the years, so you should test and see if you are allergic to them or not. Most processed or packed foods contain egg proteins but do not have labels that say contains eggs. In such cases, look out for the following terms in the list of ingredients:
- Globulin
- Vitellin
- Albumin
- Simplesse
- Livetin
- Lysozyme
- Silici albuminate
- Words with the prefixes “ova” or “ovo”
If you have an egg allergy, you can substitute eggs for cornstarch, tofu, and even flaxseed oil.
4. Wheat
When an individual has a wheat allergy, the immune system attacks the wheat protein called gluten. Wheat is found in many dishes that we often consume with our meals like bread, pasta, beer, oats, and crackers. Hence, it is hard to avoid wheat-based foods.
Substitute wheat-based products with gluten-free alternatives. Gluten-free bread and oats are becoming increasingly popular. You can also use other forms of flour like rice or garbanzo flour.
5. Fish
Fish proteins and gelatin present in the bones and skin are responsible for causing allergic reactions in many people. You might argue that some fish species might be okay to consume, but most people who have an allergic reaction to fish are allergic to all species. Hence, doctors recommend avoiding fish and fish products altogether. Ask your doctor if you can consume certain types of fish like salmon or tuna in your meals.
Health One Family Medicine Can Help!
Health One Family Medicine provides allergy testing facilities to help patients identify specific foods that cause allergies. We also recommend treatments to our patients that can prevent allergic reactions from occurring. Visit our website and book an appointment for allergy testing today! You can also reach out to us on (469)262-5762 to make an appointment.