Some people are fortunate enough to be able to eat whatever they want. Others must deny themselves certain foods because they have food allergies. A food allergy is an adverse effect that is caused when the body believes that a food is a harmful substance. There are many types of food allergies including reactions to nuts, shellfish, and dairy products.
Not all food allergies exist throughout a person’s lifetime. Some people have food allergies when they are children but outgrow them while they are still young. Other people may not develop their food allergies until they are adults.
Food products often have warnings that indicate that they may contain nuts. Some even indicate that they were prepared or packaged in a place where the food may have come into contact with nuts. This is because nut allergies are fairly common. Some people are allergic to peanuts, while others are allergic to nuts that grow on trees such as cashews and walnuts. Some people may be allergic to both.
Millions of people suffer from seafood allergies. This tends to be most common for adults, but can also be found in children. Sufferers with these types of food allergies may be only allergic to fish, or they may be allergic to various types of seafood including shrimp, oysters, and crabs. An allergic reaction can be triggered by consumption, cooking vapors, or handling.
Many people have dairy allergies. These are often displayed as adverse reactions to proteins that are found in milk that is produced by cows. When a person with this type of allergy drinks cow’s milk or eats other dairy products that are made from cow’s milk, she may experience a number of negative reactions such as hives, vomiting, or diarrhea. Many people with dairy allergies use substitute items such as goat’s milk or soy milk.
Although soy can be an alternative for some, it is the cause of problems for others. Some people have soy allergies which means they may not be able to consume products such as soy milk or foods cooked with soy oil. In some cases, however, a person may be allergic to certain soy products but not all of them. For example, miso soup may not produce an allergic reaction because the fermentation process has broken down the proteins that trigger the allergy.
Other food allergies may be triggered by wheat products. Proteins in wheat such as albumin, globulin, and gluten are often the cause of these problems. People who suffer from such allergies can be affected by consuming wheat products or by inhaling wheat flour. When this happens, a person may experience eczema, vomiting, or asthma.
