Common Food Allergies

DAIRY OR MILK ALLERGIES

    Dairy allergies are the most common allergy that young children face.  There is hope, though, as many of these children outgrow the allergy by the time they reach five years old.  

     Dairy allergy, or a milk allergy, is any allergic reaction that is caused by a part of cow's milk.  There are actually three components to cow's milk, and they are lactose sugar, casein protein, and whey protein.  Whey and casein are most likely to cause true allergies, but lactose causes an intolerance due to the body not having an enzyme called lactase.  Goats and sheep also have similar components to those of cow's milk. 

     There are many symptoms that have the potential of being present when you have a dairy allergy, such as hives, eczema, chronic congestion, and diarrhea.  

     Dairy allergies are common among babies.  If your family has a history of allergies, you should discuss your feeding options with your pediatrician before the baby is born.  Some say that nursing exclusively for the baby's first six months and delaying the introduction of any solid foods until that time can prevent allergies from developing.

     Formula fed babies have several options if they are allergic to milk.  If your family has a history of eczema, a hydrolyzed formula is often preferred to soy formulas.  Soy is often a common allergen itself, and a hydrolyzed formula may be tolerated better by babies.  Speak to your child's pediatrician about your options.   Hypoallergenic formulas come in three varieties:  partially hydrolyzed, extensively hydrolyzed, and free amino acid based.  Pregestimil, Nutramigen, and Alimentum are examples of hydrolyzed formulas.

     When you learn that your child is milk allergic, it can be overwhelming, because the list of foods that contain dairy or milk seem never ending.  Cheese, butter, cream, yogurt, sour cream and ice cream always contain milk.  Avoid whey and casein.  Caramel, custard, and curds should also be avoided.  Milk is also often found in processed foods, such as chocolate, pastries, salad dressings, snacks with cheese flavoring, margarine, bread, baked goods, soups, deli meats, and even canned tuna.  If you or your child has a milk allergy, you will need to always read the label before eating a product.  This makes eating at a restaurant difficult too.  Many restaurants have a list of ingredients for their menu items.  Just be sure not to eat something that you are unsure of. Some dairy substitutes include soy milk, nut milk, and rice milk. 

     Egg allergies are a common allergy of childhood.  The yolk and the white of eggs are made from a variety of proteins and become allergenic.  Egg whites cause more reactions than the yolk.  Most allergies to eggs begin in childhood, but in some rare cases, egg allergies develop at older ages.  The good news is that around two-thirds of children with egg allergies outgrow their allergies by the time they reach the age of seven. 

     Egg allergies are the most common trigger of eczema in children.  There are other symptoms of egg allergies, such as hives, swelling and redness, and in extremely rare cases, anaphylactic shock. 

     Eggs are not as challenging to avoid as are soy or dairy; however, they are present in many foods.  All mayonnaise contains eggs.  Also many baked goods, pretzels, and batters have eggs.  If you see a shiny baked good, it may be shiny because egg whites were brushed on the bread or pastry to give it this look.  Some pastas have eggs as an ingredient, and sometimes eggs are used to thicken sauces or to bind casseroles or bind meatloaves.  French and Italian style ice creams, or gelati, are made from eggs too, just as the fat substitute Simplesse is made from eggs. Also be aware that tempera pain has eggs as its main ingredient.

     Since eggs are in the top eight most common food allergens in the United States, there is FDA labeling requirements that forces companies to label their products if there are eggs used.

     Eczema is a chronic skin condition that appears as a rash and can be very itchy.  It is stongly associated with egg allergy.  If you determine that eggs are a trigger for your eczema, avoiding egg products may help clear up your eczema. 

PEANUT ALLERGY

     Peanut allergies are not the most common food allergy; however, they seem to have the highest profile due to the reactions sometimes being so severe.  Unfortunately, nearly 80% of people who have peanut allergies will have those allergies for life. 

     There are several risk factors for peanut allergies that you cannot control.  One risk factor is being born into an atopic family, or one with a history of allergies.  If you have certain types of skin conditions, such as eczema, you are at higher risk.  It is recommended that women who have allergies in the family avoid eating peanuts while pregnant or nursing, and that they not feed peanuts to children until age three. 

     Although peanuts can cause the same food allergy symptoms as other allergens, they are also more likely to cause reactions that go throughout your entire body.  The riskiest of these symptoms is anaphylaxis, which can cause your airway to swell and your blood pressure to drop very low.  Anyone with a peanut allergy should carry an epi-pen with them and know how to administer emergency treatment in the case of anaphylactic shock.

     People who have peanut allergies are at risk for many other allergies, such as tree nuts and legumes.  Foods that commonly contain peanuts are peanut butter, chocolate candies, Asian sauces and dishes, packaged foods, and many baked goods.  Additionally a lot of cereals and granolas have peanuts.  Sticking to fresh and unprocessed ingredients is usually best if you are trying to avoid peanuts. 

     Since peanuts are one of the eight most common allergens in the United States, manufacturers are required to indicate if peanuts are present on the food label.  The FALCPA does not require manufacturers to indicate if a food product has been processed in a facility or line where peanuts were processed.  Some companies do so voluntarily, but others may not. 

     Living with a peanut allergy can be a challenge.  You must be very vigilant about avoiding any traces of peanuts. 

SOY ALLERGIES

     Soy is one of the top eight allergens, but fortunately it is one that children are likely to outgrow.  Soy may not be used that often in the American diet, but is used frequently in processed foods and in East Asian cuisine.  In vegetarian households, it is a staple protein, which makes having a soy allergy very difficult if you are a vegetarian.

     Most soy allergies tend to be mild, and they may cause nausea, rhinitis, or hives.  There are rarely severe allergic reactions related to soy, such as breathing difficulty or anaphylaxis. 

     Formulas made of soy are commonly used to feed infants who are not breastfed and who are not able to tolerate milk formulas.  Soy formula is not optimal for children who are at high risk of developing allergies.  Children who are at high risk are children with at least one relative with doctor-diagnosed food allergies.  Hypoallergenic formulas are considered a better choice along with later introduction to solid foods. 

     Soy is an allergen covered by the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, which requires allergens in foods to be listed in bold print or following the ingredient list after the word "Contains."

     Foods that commonly contain soy include shoyu, tofu, tempeh, tamari, natto, and misi.  Soy is also present in many processed foods such as vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable starch, lecithin, or soy flour.  Some foods that are likely to contain soy include soups, salad dressings, margarine, sauces, and vegetarian meat substitutes. 

SEAFOOD ALLERGIES

     The most common of allergies among adults and the most common cause of anaphylaxis is shellfish.  Fish and shellfish are both triggers of allergic reactions.  Fish and shellfish allergies are more likely to start in adulthood and are unlikely to be outgrown.  The most common fish allergies involve eel, tilapia, snapper, tuna, cod, salmon, and pollock. 

     Fish allergy has been linked to severe asthma in adult patients as well as the oral allergy syndrome in which the mouth becomes itchy or begins to tingle.  The biggest risk from fish allergies is anaphylaxis, which is a severe reaction in which great amounts of histamine are released, resulting in swelling of tissues throughout the body.  This can lead to cardiac, gastrointestinal symptoms, and life-threatening breathing problems. 

     People with allergies to one specific type of fish are likely to have or to develop allergies in other types of fish due to a protein called parvalbumin that is in many fish.  This is why most people with a fish allergy are encouraged to avoid all fish. 

     Since fish is one of the big eight common allergens in the United States, it is protected by the Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, so all foods containing fish must be labeled so.  Some foods that commonly contain fish include worcestersire sauce, caesar salad dressing, caviar, ceviche, gelatin, cioppio, nam pla, bouillabaisse, surimi, fumet (fish stock), pissaladiere, Omega-3 supplements, and caponata. 

     Wheat allergies are a common cause of severe allergy symptoms which include anaphylaxis and asthma.  People with wheat allergies must avoid pasta, bread, and most batter-fried dishes.  Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects the ability of the body to process gluten proteins that are found in wheat and other grains.  It is not a form of wheat allergy, although people with Celiac disease and with wheat allergy will need to have very similar restrictions to their diet. 

     Wheat allergies can cause a number of symptoms, and they are most commonly associated with eczema, asthma, and anaphylaxis.  Since wheat is one of the most common of food allergens in the United States, the FDA states that food manufacturers must label it on their food products.  Most products labeled "gluten-free" are wheat free.  Wheat is found in many foods, including baked goods, pasta, baking powders, batter-fried foods, flour-thickened sauces, gravies, and casseroles, canned soup and chili, cereal, salad dressings, soy sauce, and other condiments, candy, beer, and dishes with breadcrumbs. 

     Kamut and Spelt are often sold as substitutes for wheat, but from an allergy perspective, there is no difference from wheat and kamut.  Spelt also has been known to trigger wheat allergies.