9 of the most common food allergies: What you need to know.
Food allergies occur when a person’s immune system reacts abnormally to something they eat or drink. Allergies are serious illnesses and can be life threatening, so it’s important to take the utmost care to avoid any adverse reactions. According to Food Safety Australia, food allergies affect 10% of infants under one, 4-8% of children up to five years old and 2% of all adults. Cow’s milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat are the nine major allergenic foods. These make up around 90% of all allergies.
Cow’s Milk
Cow’s milk is the most common cause of food allergy in infants and is one of the biggest food allergies in the world. However, a child often outgrows a milk allergy by the age of six. If you have a milk allergy, you will most likely be affected by the lactose or the proteins (whey and casein) found in cow’s milk. People suffering from a milk allergy can have difficulty increasing their height or weight, as well as the following symptoms:
Abdominal pain and vomiting
Skin irritation and rashes
Diarrhoea (can be bloody)
Runny nose
Sneezing and coughing
Anaphylaxis (breathing problems, swelling of the throat, a drop in blood pressure, pale skin, dizziness, fainting)
If you’re allergic to milk, make sure to avoid the following ingredients and products:
All dairy products
Butter
Cream
Cultured buttermilk
Nougat
Whey protein
Yoghurt
You should also be wary of the following products that may contain milk:
Baked goods
Batter-fried goods
Bottled water and fruit juice
Cheese
Chocolate
Dips
Margarine
Pastries
Probiotics
Salad dressings
Sauces and spreads
Eggs
Eggs are a key ingredient in a long list of meals and food products, but they’re also one of the most common sources of food allergies worldwide. Egg allergies mainly impact young children and many children will grow out of the allergy by the age of six. The allergy is generally to hen’s eggs rather than any other types of eggs. Adverse reactions to eggs commonly occur in the digestive system and include the following:
Skin reactions such as inflammation, hives and rashes
Sneezing, wheezing, coughing, nasal congestion and difficulty breathing
Abdominal pain and diarrhoea
Nausea and vomiting
Anaphylaxis
The following are some of the ingredients you should avoid if you are allergic to eggs:
Eggs
Egg substitutes
Egg white
Egg yolk
Glaze on baked goods
Meringue mix
Powdered eggs
You should also be wary of the following range of products that may contain eggs:
Baked products
Battered foods
Biscuits
Cakes
Confectionery
Custard
Glazed foods
Mayonnaise
Hamburgers
Meringue
Mousse
Omelettes
Quiche
Salad dressings
Sauces
Fish
Fish allergies tend to affect more adolescents and adults than children. Seafood allergies are estimated to affect approximately 1% of the world’s population. Fish allergies occur more frequently in countries that have a high rate of seafood consumption. Fish allergy symptoms are many and varied and they often depend on the type of fish ingested. The following are some common symptoms of fish allergies:
Skin irritation, hives and rashes
Swelling of the mouth, throat and nose
Runny nose, nasal congestion and sneezing
Breathing difficulties
Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
Headaches
Severe drop in blood pressure
Anaphylaxis
People who suffer from a fish allergy should avoid eating any type of fish, including the following species that are commonly used as ingredients:
Anchovy
Bream
Carp
Caviar
Cod
Eel
Flounder
Hake
Herring
Mackerel
Perch
Salmon
Sardine
Snapper
Sashimi
Trout
Tuna
Whiting
You should also take care when eating the following foods, which may contain fish:
Antipasto
Many Asian dishes
Canned spreads
Caesar salad
Dips
Gelatin
Pizza toppings
Salad dressings
Sauces
Sushi
Peanuts
Peanut allergies are most commonly found in children, although they can also occur for the first time in adults. Unfortunately, peanut allergies are usually a lifelong condition and children are unlikely to grow out of the allergy. Peanut allergies are potentially serious and are an ongoing risk given the ever-present chance of accidental exposure. People who suffer from a peanut allergy can experience an extreme allergic reaction that produces the following symptoms:
Itchy skin and hives
Itching or tingling around the mouth or throat
Nausea
Runny nose or nasal congestion
Breathing difficulties
Anaphylaxis
If you suffer from a peanut allergy, you should avoid the following products:
Beer nuts
Groundnuts
Mixed nuts
Nut pieces
Peanuts
Peanut butter
Any products containing peanut or peanut derivatives
You should be wary of the following products and foods that may contain peanuts:
African, Asian, Indian and Mexican dishes
Biscuits
Breakfast cereals
Chocolates
Dried fruit mixes
Gravy
Ice cream
Lollies
Nougat
Praline
Pesto
Salad dressing
Sauces
Soup
Sesame
A lifelong condition, sesame allergies are quite common in Australia. Though most commonly associated with sesame seeds, sesame allergy sufferers can also have an adverse reaction to sesame oil and other sesame products used in cooking, such as tahini. This type of allergy can be very difficult to live with because sesame seeds are very small and easy to miss. Also, many food labels do not specifically state that a product contains sesame seeds. There are several other names that can indicate the presence of sesame seeds in a product, including sim sim, benne and gingelly seeds. It’s important to be aware of all these terms if you suffer from a sesame allergy. Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction to sesame include the following:
Rashes and other skin irritations
Coughing and difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
Abdominal pain and nausea
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Itching of the mouth, throat or eyes
Swelling of the face, nose and mouth
Flushed face
Anaphylaxis (in severe cases)
Sesame allergy sufferers must avoid the following ingredients:
Benne
Benniseed
Gingelly seeds
Sesame
Sesame seeds
Sesarmol
Sesomolina
Sim sim
Tahina
Tahini
Til
You should be wary of the following products and foods that may contain sesame:
Asian and Middle Eastern foods
Baked goods
Crackers and dips
Dressings
Herbs
Marinades
Pâtes
Pretzels
Salads
Spices
Spreads
Shellfish
A shellfish allergy occurs when the body’s immune system responds abnormally to certain types of marine mammals. Crustaceans such as prawns, lobster and crab cause the largest number of allergic reactions. However, oysters, mussels, scallops, squid and a range of other shellfish can also cause adverse reactions. There is currently no cure for a shellfish allergy, so it’s recommended that sufferers do not consume any shellfish and carry an EpiPen (epinephrine) with them at all times. The symptoms of a shellfish allergy vary widely depending on the severity of the reaction. They may include the following:
Stomach cramps and indigestion
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
Tingling in the mouth
Swelling of the mouth and difficulty breathing
Swelling of the tongue and/or lips
Wheezing and coughing
Skin irritation and rashes
Dizziness and fainting
Sudden drop in blood pressure
Rapid pulse
Anaphylaxis
If you suffer from a shellfish allergy, you must avoid any form of shellfish to which you are allergic. The following shellfish should be avoided:
Abalone
Clams
Crab
Crawfish
Lobster
Molluscs
Mussels
Octopus
Oysters
Prawns
Scallops
Sea snails
Squid
You should also be wary of consuming any of the following products that may contain shellfish:
Bouillabaisse
Cuttlefish ink
Fish stock
Natural or artificial flavouring
Sauces
Squid ink
Surimi
Soy
Although it is most commonly a childhood allergy, soy allergies can also affect adults. However, the good news is that unlike many of the other allergies on this list, a soy allergy is not usually life threatening. Instead, it’s often more of an inconvenience and a cause of discomfort, although severe reactions can occur if someone also suffers from asthma or another allergy. A soy allergy refers to an allergy to soybeans, a legume, but if you suffer from this condition, it does not necessarily mean that you will be allergic to other legumes. However, because soya is a common ingredient in many foods and products, a soy allergy can be a constant cause of concern for sufferers. Symptoms of a soy allergy include the following:
Skin irritation and rashes
Tingling in the mouth
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
Difficulty breathing
Blocked or runny nose
Red skin
Wheezing or coughing
If you suffer from a soy allergy, you should always avoid the following ingredients:
Bean curd
Edamame
Hydrolysed plant/soy/vegetable protein
Miso
Soy
Soya
Soybean
Tempeh
Tofu
You should also be wary when consuming the following products that may contain soy:
Vegetable stock
Vegetable broth
Vegetable gum
Vegetable starch
Natural or artificial flavouring
Tree nuts
Tree nuts are one of the most common causes of allergies in Australia and around the world. They include popular nuts such as almonds and cashews, as well as lesser-known varieties such as pine nuts and Brazil nuts. While tree nut allergies are more often found in children, they can persist into adulthood. It’s also possible for affected people to suffer a severe reaction after only minimal contact with a tree nut, such as skin contact or inhalation. Some of the symptoms of tree nut allergies include the following:
Abdominal pain and nausea
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Skin rashes and irritation
Itchy mouth, throat and/or eyes
Swollen throat, tongue and lips
Nasal congestion or a runny nose
Difficulty swallowing
Shortness of breath
Anaphylaxis
If you’re allergic to tree nuts, there is a long list of foods and ingredients that you need to avoid:
Almonds
Almond meal
Almond paste
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Macadamia nuts
Marzipan
Nut-flavoured alcoholic liqueurs
Nut milk
Nut oils
Nut paste
Pecans
Pine nuts
Pistachios
Pralines
Walnuts
You should also be wary of the following foods that may contain tree nuts:
African, Asian, Indian, Mexican and vegetarian/vegan dishes
Baked goods
Biscuits and cookies
Breakfast cereals
Cakes and slices
Chocolates
Crackers
Dips
Dukkah
Natural or artificial flavouring
Frozen desserts
Health food bars
Ice cream
Lollies
Pasta sauces
Pastries
Pesto
Salads and salad dressing
Stuffing
Takeaway food
Wheat
Wheat contains gluten, which negatively affects sufferers of coeliac disease. Many sufferers of wheat allergies are able to consume rice without any problems but will suffer an allergic reaction to oats, rye, barley and other wheat-related grains. As there is no cure, the best thing coeliac disease sufferers can do is avoid wheat. However, if they do ingest gluten, the symptoms can vary from mild to potentially life threatening. Symptoms include the following:
Hives, rashes and skin irritation
Inflammation in the abdomen and bowel
Stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea
Mouth ulcers
Sneezing
Headaches
Muscle pains
If you suffer from a wheat allergy, the following ingredients must be avoided:
Bran
Breadcrumbs
Couscous
Flour
Gluten
Pasta
Semolina
Spelt
Tabouleh
Wheat (bran, germs, flakes, sprouts, cornflour)
You should also be wary of the following products that may contain wheat:
Baked goods
Biscuits
Breakfast cereals
Natural or artificial flavouring
Battered fried foods
Canned soups and stocks
Icing sugar
Ice cream cones
Lollies
Pancakes
Soy sauce
Starch
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