Common Food Allergies

What Are Common Food Allergies?

It is amazing to think that the food that nourishes us can also cause severe allergic reactions in many people. There are quite a few common food allergies that are sometimes surprising to people.

Common Food Allergies That Affect Many People

In our daily lives we encounter allergens that cause us to sneeze, have itchy eyes or even get the hives. Often these symptoms are attributed to outside environmental agents, like dust, weeds or animals. It is surprising to discover how many common food allergies there are.

In recent years there seems to be more and more children that have a peanut allergy. Some people have such an adverse reaction, that even if a third party has touched a peanut or peanut product, and then touch them; they can go into anaphylaxis shock. Needing immediate medical care and an epinephrine shot to counter the reaction.

There seems to be about eight common food allergies found. These foods include peanuts, milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and fish and shell fish. Each of these common food allergies can be life threatening if not treated immediately. In addition, there are also people with allergies to fruits, vegetables and even seeds. Some of these common food allergies are seen most often in children.

Many times, they will outgrow these allergies. The common food allergies that can be outgrown involve, milk, eggs, soy and wheat. There is no guarantee however, that these common food allergies will be a childhood problem that will not persist into adulthood. Unfortunately, peanuts, tree nuts and fish allergies seem to be life long problems; and, shellfish allergies generally occur in adulthood.

How To Discover If You Have A Common Food Allergy

Sometimes it is very apparent that a common food allergy is present. An instant reaction like vomiting, diarrhea, rashes or anaphylaxis is a red flag that this is a problem food. Keeping track of what children eat when they are young, helps to discover any common food allergies. If food allergies are suspected, a board-certified allergist should be consulted. Often, they will require a food diary to be kept; and then, reviewed to discover if there is a pattern. There are several more tests, including a skin-prick test and a RAST test, (which is a blood test), that can help to discover which foods a patient is allergic too.

Learning to live with common food allergies can be a challenge. It is important to always discover what ingredients are in foods, especially when eating out. Notifying friends of the allergies can help insure that foods that cause a reaction will not be used at gatherings. Many people have common food allergies, it’s important to be aware of these so that serious reactions can be avoided.