Food allergies are a common occurrence in our everyday lives. While some of them might result in a mild reaction, others might be more severe and those foods need to be avoided completely. These allergic reactions occur as a result of the allergen in the food reacting adversely with the body. Although just about any food can bring about food allergies, there are some common ones that are responsible for about ninety percent of the cases. Here are some of the most popular ones.
A milk allergy is when the body carries out an immune response to the proteins found in milk. There are two components of milk that consist the greatest amount of allergy inducing proteins and these are casein and whey.
Another dairy produce responsible for a lot of food allergies is the egg. The allergens are again the proteins present in the egg and this allergy is most commonly found in children. It is a common occurrence that some people might be allergic to either the yolk or the white of the egg. However, if it is a highly sensitive allergy then eggs need to be avoided completely because there is always a chance that the allergens in the yolk or the white contaminate each other.
An allergic reaction to the proteins in peanuts is the most common cause of anaphylaxis. This is a type of reaction that may have mild symptoms like an itchy rash or swelling but can rapidly escalate to bring about death in some cases.
Examples f these include almonds, cashews and walnuts. Each kind of nut contains a different allergen protein and it is possible that a person might have a food allergy from one of the tree nuts but not the other. However, since they are handled, processed and packaged together they might contaminate each other and therefore, caution must be exercised.
Common types of fish that have allergy inducing proteins are cod, flounder and bass. Again, it is difficult to figure out whether a person is allergic to a particular fish or all kinds. However a food allergy from fish can result in anaphylaxis therefore if it is an unclear matter, all fish must be avoided.
Common shellfish that people are allergic to are shrimps, crabs and lobsters. Again, it is highly recommended that if you are allergic to one type of shellfish, all of them must be avoided as they contain similar allergen proteins.
This is the body’s immune response to an allergy from the proteins in soy. Since soybeans are legumes they are unlikely to cause an anaphylaxis but have milder symptoms.
Like soy, a food allergy from wheat cannot result in an anaphylaxis and usually results in mild symptoms. These may include mild itching, swelling of the lips. These symptoms can easily be treated by an antiallergy but consult your physician before you take any such medicines.
