The top 8 food allergies
The top 8 food allergies can sound a little scary, but it really isn’t. With a little time and some practice, remembering the allergens can be easy and rewarding. The top 8 food allergies includes just the most commonly found food allergies today.
Dairy Allergy
You will soon find out just how many ingredients cow’s milk can be made into. Milk allergies are one of the most common food allergies, and it is no wonder, as milk is broken down into an ever-growing list of by-products, which are then used as a cheap ‘filler’ ingredient in a lot of food.
Casein / caseinates, Dairy solids, Ghee, butter oil, butter fat, Hydrolysates (casein, milk protein, whey), Infant formula – cow’s milk based including partially hydrolysed (HA) formula, Lactalbumin, Lactoglobulin, Milk derivative, Milk protein, Milk solids, Non-fat dairy solids, Non-fat milk solids, Skim milk solids, Whey, Sour cream, and A2 milk.
As you can see, milk is broken down into so many components. Not only that, but milk is used in foods that would not normally constitute milk as an ingredient.
Egg Allergy
As eggs are a known allergen, it must be clearly labelled in bold. Here is a list of all the ingredient names eggs are known as:
Albumin, Avidin, Binder, Dried eggs, Egg, Egg solids, Egg substitutes (some), Egg white, Egg white solids, Egg yolk, Flavoproteins, Glaze (on baked goods), Globulin, Imitation egg product, Livetin, Lysozyme, Meringue mix, Ovalbumin, Ovglycoprotein, Ovomucoid, Ovomuxiod, and Powdered egg.
It’s no wonder avoiding a food allergy is such a nightmare when food manufacturers have at their disposal so many ingredients to choose from. It’s this reason that accidental contact can happen so frequently.
Gluten Allergies (includes Celiac Disease)
It still boggles the mind as to how many components a certain type of food can be turned into, so it’s perfectly understandable when Parents and/or Carers of a newly diagnosed child become confused or overwhelmed by the task of avoiding allergy triggers. We know, we’ve been there, and still are. And the daily nightmare of checking food doesn’t stop. Food manufacturers are always changing the ingredients they use, so a particular food that was considered safe last week, may not be safe this week, and vice versa. But we’ll endeavour to help make it easier to identify allergens and their sometimes sneaky names. These include:
Atta Flour, Bulgar, Burghul, Couscous, Cracker meal, Durum, Farina, Gluten, Graham flour, Kamut, Matzoh, Seitan, Semolina, Spelt, Tabouleh, Triticale, Wheat, Wheat bran, Wheat flour, Wheat germ, Wheat meal, Wheat starch, and Whole wheat berries.
It’s easy to see why it can be confusing. While some names are obvious, others are not.
Peanut Allergy
Peanut allergies are common in young children (1 in 50), and can even develop later in life, so it is important to know how to correctly identify peanuts in the foods we eat. It’s kinda scary when all it takes is a trace amount of Peanut protein to cause an allergic reaction, this emphasizes the importance of being able to identify the allergen. These include:
Arachis oil, Beer nuts, Goober nuts, Groundnuts, Madelonas, Mixed nuts, Monkey Nuts, Nu-nuts, Nut pieces, Nutmeat, Peanut, Peanut butter, Peanut oil, and Peanut sprouts.
As you can see, it is a fairly long list, but thankfully not as long as for the other allergens. Here’s a short list of the types of food that can include Peanuts:
African dishes, Asian/Indian dishes, Biscuits, Breakfast cereals, Chocolates, Dried fruit mixes, Gravy, Health food bars, Ice creams, Lollies, Marzipan, Mexican dishes, Nougat, Praline, Pesto, Salad/salad dressing, Sauces, Snack foods, Soup, and some vegan dishes.
Peanuts are usually found in such a wide variety of foods; it can be surprising at times. Learning how to accurately read food labels is a lifelong skill that can help prevent accidental exposure.
Seafood Allergy
Seafood seems a rather easy allergy to manage, but as always when dealing with food allergies, it’s always more complicated. When it comes to Seafood, Shellfish gets the most publicity, yet Seafood Allergy can be caused by just about any fish. Seafood Allergy can affect more adults than children and can be a lifelong allergy. That’s why it’s important to learn what types of Seafood can trigger a reaction. Now, according to ASCIA, it’s not just Shellfish that causes reactions. Scaly fish can be added to the list of Seafood that’s a no-go for allergy sufferers. Some people can be allergic to scaly fish, while being able to eat Prawns, or vise-versa.
Fish Allergy
Fish allergy is an easy allergen to identify. It includes all scaly fish, from both fresh waters and the ocean.
Shellfish
Shellfish allergy differs from fish allergy as it only includes seafood that has its own shell. For example, shellfish would mean Prawns, Crab, and lobsters.
Soy allergies
This food allergy could prove to be the hardest allergy of them all to avoid. It is used as an ingredient in nearly every food. Soy has been getting some negative publicity in recent years. In all honesty, if you’re not allergic to Soy, it is a rather healthy food to eat. It is a convenient alternative to some of the other food allergies. Soy allergy is an uncommon allergy, but it is most prevalent in children with Dermatitis. Also, children allergic to Soy may increase their allergy with repeated exposure. 1 in 5 children with a Dairy allergy may also be allergic to Soy.
Soy, or Soy products are known by several names. Like the other allergens, so here’s a list of their common names:
Bean curd, Edamame, Hydrolysed Plant Protein, Hydrolysed Soy Protein, Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein, Miso, Natto, Okara, Soja, Soy, Soy Lecithin, Soya, Soyabean, Soybean, Tamari, Tempeh, Textured Vegetable Protein, Tofu, and Yuba.
Soy can also be used as either a natural or artificial flavour, so be careful.
Even though the top 8 food allergies list is a very long list, these food allergies can be quite easy to avoid with a little practice.