For some people, food allergies can be very serious. One bite of a cookie with ground peanuts can cause a life-threatening emergency in someone with a peanut allergy, while just the smell of fish can make a highly sensitive person feel ill.
Although these are extreme reactions, it’s no wonder many people worry about food allergies. Unfortunately, because of a lack of good information about severe food allergies, many people are restricting their diet unnecessarily. One allergist found that, out of 23 people who thought they had a food allergy, approximately 4 actually did. Some of those who didn’t have allergies were avoiding so many foods they had become sick and malnourished. Don’t guess. If you suspect you have a food allergy, have it properly diagnosed by a doctor, then obtain nutritional advice from a registered dietitian.
What is a Food Allergy?
People with food allergies have an unusually sensitive immune system. For some reason, swallowing a protein from a particular food causes the person’s own antibodies to rush into action to attack the foreign substance. This starts a chain reaction of chemical changes which cause swelling and irritation in certain parts of the body.
Food allergies are most common in young children. Many infants become sensitive to foods, such as cow’s milk, soy and eggs during their first year of life. Fortunately, most infants outgrow these sensitivities in a year or two.
However, a child with an allergy to peanut or shellfish will not outgrow it. In fact, the symptoms may become more severe each time the child is exposed.
What is a Food Intolerance?
Food can cause problems for people in ways that do not involve the immune system. For example, people with lactose intolerance don’t have enough of the enzyme lactase to digest the sugar or lactose in milk. People with celiac disease cannot digest wheat protein. Other people have trouble with caffeine, chili peppers, horseradish or hot sauce. These food- related problems are called “food intolerances” not food allergies.
It is important to know the difference between food intolerances and food allergies. A person with a milk allergy must avoid all milk protein, even the small amount found in a slice of bread, whereas a person with a lactose intolerance may be able to eat some cheese and drink certain modified milk.
Facts About Food Intolerances
· Milk, eggs, peanuts, nuts, soy, wheat, and fish are responsible for 95% of all actual food allergies. It is rare for people to have two or more food allergies.
· It is usually not necessary to avoid an entire food family. For example, people who are allergic to lobster can often tolerate shrimp and crab. Even children with a life-threatening peanut allergy are rarely sensitive to other legumes, such as soybeans and lentils.
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