Food allergies are very common and it affects children and adults around the world. The percentage is rising regardless of which country you reside in. There have been more people consulting with an allergy doctor throughout the years.
Even if it is possible for allergies to be caused by any type of food, most of them are caused by some specific foods. Based on studies, these specific foods cause the majority of food reactions.
If you are curious to know what these foods are, this article is going to give you the information you need. Keep in mind that allergies can still develop even if you are already an adult so it is better to stay informed.
Milk
Having a milk allergy means that your body is reacting to milk proteins. This is something that you should not confuse with lactose intolerance. Milk allergies are one of the most common among young children. Even if it is highly nutritious, milk can cause rashes, stomach cramps, and swelling.
Milk is so difficult to avoid because it is an ingredient in butter, ice cream, yogurt, and more delicious food that contain milk.
That is bad news, but the good thing is that majority of children grow out of it.
Egg Allergy
The second most common food allergy in children is egg allergy. The good thing is that 68% of children with an allergy will outgrow it when they hit 16 years old.
Children can be allergic to egg whites, but not the yolks, and it can be vice versa. That is because egg proteins and egg yolks slightly differ.
Most of the proteins that trigger an allergy are in egg whites, so an egg white allergy is common.
The best way to treat an egg allergy is to be on an egg-free diet. You might not have to avoid all kinds of food-related to eggs because heating eggs shifts the allergy-causing proteins. This will stop your body from seeing them as harmful.
Peanuts
Regardless of where you look, you will discover that peanut allergies are found everywhere. Peanut allergies are one of the most common and fatal food allergies in children, causing anaphylaxis more than the other foods. For some people, even very minimal contact with peanuts can cause a reaction.
Since traces of peanuts are found in a lot of foods, you should always read labels and be aware of everything you eat.
Shellfish
A shellfish allergy happens when your body attacks the proteins from the mollusk fish families and crustaceans known as shellfish. Some examples of shellfish are prawns, shrimp, lobster, crayfish, scallops, and squid.
The most common seafood allergy trigger is tropomyosin protein. Other proteins can play a role in triggering an immune response such as parvalbumin and kinase.
Some shellfish allergy symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, digestive issues, and stomach pain.
Wheat
Wheat originated from the baker’s counter grain, and it is found everywhere. However, for those who have wheat allergies, this can be an issue.
You should not confuse this with celiac disease, and it is a non-life-threatening autoimmune disorder. Wheat allergies happen when the body reacts to any of the proteins found in wheat.
White blood cells consider wheat an enemy and they attack it. While doing that, the body shows symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea, itching, shortness of breath, swelling lips and tongue, or anaphylaxis.
While a lot of people outgrow a wheat allergy when they become adults, some have it for life. The only to treat it is a wheat-free diet.
You can visit an allergy clinic Germantown MD anytime to have yourself checked for allergies.