Five Most Common Food Allergies

Food allergic reactions are common and are usually triggered by proteins that are ingested by individuals who are intolerant to those proteins. Food allergies occur when body’s immune system regards certain protein as dangerous (foreign) substance and responds in a similar way as it would towards a disease-causing germ or bacteria. According to a recent study done on food allergies, it was found that people tend to develop food allergies to food items that are common in that area. To cope with food allergies, people usually tend to avoid food items that they are allergic to and scrutinize ingredients of all food times they consume when they eat outside their homes.

People with food allergies tend to develop rashes, nausea, diarrhea and hives and sometimes the allergies may even result in breathlessness that can result in death. Though some people are genetically prone to allergic reactions, other may develop reactions if they consume abnormal amounts of a particular food item within a short period of time. Depending on a patient’s condition, a doctor may advice auto injector pen that can be jabbed into th e vein if he/she develops an allergic reaction.

Peanut and other tree nuts allergy

This is the most common and also the most dangerous of all food allergies which has caused the most number of allergy related deaths in the world. Within minutes of exposure to peanuts, a person allergic to it can develop swelling, hives and rapid pulse followed by troubled breathing and death if immediate assistance is not given. More than one percent of the world’s population is allergic to some nut based allergy which can be walnut, cashew nut or other tree nuts like sesame, lentils and soybean if not the usual peanut.

Allergy to dairy products

“Lactose intolerance” was an unusual phenomenon when it was first discovered and pediatricians could give a valid reason to parents that could not understand why their children could not drink milk. While some children lose their sensitivity to milk as they grow older, some still retain an allergic reaction to products containing casein and whey.

Allergy to marine products with shells

Anaphylaxis is a common allergic reaction among people that are unable to ingest shellfish like lobsters, crabs and even shrimp. People that are highly sensitive to shellfish related allergies feel nauseated when they smell it cooking, which can quickly result in swelling of tissues in the airway region followed by heavy breathing and heart circulation problems.

Allergy to albumin or egg protein and soya

As eggs are a common ingredient in most baked and processed food items, it is difficult to avoid them except when you are at home. Like eggs, soya is a common ingredient in all our food items today and its dominant protein, lecithin can cause reactions like swollen lips, abdominal pain and difficulty in breathing.

Wheat based allergy

People with wheat based allergies are not able to ingest wheat protein in their childhood and adulthood as it causes symptoms like nausea, hives and bloated stomach. The existence of wheat based proteins like albumin, gliadin, gluten and globulin leads to allergic reactions in people. If they ingest a large quantity of wheat, then it can also result in anaphylaxis like conditions.

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