What Are The Most Common Food Allergies?

It’s extremely common to find someone with an allergy to some kind of food – it is estimated that as many as 8 percent of adults and 5 percent of children suffer from food related allergies. Not only this, but those figures appear to be growing. Therefore, it’s important to have an understanding of food based allergies, what problems they can cause, and what can be done about them because it’s likely you will know someone who suffers from this issue.

Cow’s Milk

A cow’s milk allergy is most often seen in babies and very young children, although it can, of course, affect adults as well. It can be triggered by exposing babies to cow’s milk before their bodies are mature enough to digest it properly (i.e. when they are around six months old), but even if this is the case, 90 percent of children will outgrow this allergy by the time they are three years old. A reaction will occur within half an hour of ingesting cow’s milk, and symptoms include vomiting, swelling, and hives. The only treatment for this allergy is to avoid cow’s milk altogether – this includes food that contains it such as cheese, butter, cream, yoghurt, and other dairy products.

Eggs

Eggs are the food that is the second most common allergen. Studies show that almost 70 percent of children who are allergic to eggs when they are young will outgrow this allergy by the time they are 16, which is good news because an allergy to eggs can result in hives and rashes, stomach aches and diarrhea, and even respiratory problems. In some cases (although this is rare), it can lead to anaphylaxis. As with cow’s milk, the best way to prevent an allergic reaction to eggs is to remove them entirely from your diet. However, some people are able to tolerate eggs when they have been cooked within a recipe, so although an egg by itself might be a problem, a cake including eggs would be fine.

Wheat

Wheat is the allergy that perhaps is becoming more common than many others – or it could be that it is simply more understood now, and therefore picked up more easily than it was years ago. If you have a wheat allergy, you are allergic to the proteins found in wheat, and if you eat wheat based products then you could break out in hives, vomit, have digestive distress, and suffer swelling. It’s not the same as celiac disease, or even gluten sensitivity, but the symptoms are similar. Interestingly, the health benefits of not including wheat or grains within an animal’s diet are also becoming more well-known, and it’s possible to buy grain free dog food from companies such as Devoted Pet Foods. You can visit the site here. If you think you might have a wheat allergy, it can be determined using a simple skin prick test, so making an appointment with your GP is a good idea.

Nuts

Having a nut allergy – and in particular peanuts are a big culprit here – can be potentially fatal since it can easily lead to anaphylaxis. However, it’s also a common allergy, affecting around one in every 100 people. This is why you will often find nut free advice on food packaging, and in restaurants, as more and more people are becoming aware that giving sufferers something that might contain nuts could lead to fatal – in some cases – consequences. The only way to not be affected is to remove all traces of nuts from your diet and home/working environments if it’s also airborne.