Food allergies are not a new phenomenon. They have been around for many years, yet only recently are people more able to identify and treat them. Many different types of foods can cause allergic reactions, and children are often allergic as well. People with one food allergy often have multiple food allergies, whether they know it or not, so an allergy-free diet is very important.
Significance
Maintaining an allergy-free diet is crucial for anyone with a food allergy, as the symptoms can be severe. The website KidsHealth says food allergies can result in diarrhea, weight loss, hives, trouble breathing and even anaphylaxis, in which the breathing airways in the lungs narrow, so eating a food to which you are allergic can result in death, in extreme cases.
Wheat Allergy
Wheat allergies are one of the most common types of allergies. The George Mateljan Foundation explains that most wheat allergies are actually the result of an autoimmune disorder called celiac disease, in which a person cannot digest the protein-rich portion of the wheat kernel, which is called gluten. People with wheat allergies cannot eat wheat, rye, barley or foods made with wheat such as crackers, chips, cookies, baked goods or even sauces (which often have starch bases).
Problems with Eggs
KidsHealth says allergies to eggs are also common among adults and children. This can be a difficult allergy to live with because eggs are present in many foods you may not think they're in, such as breads, bagels, cookies, other baked goods and casseroles. People with egg allergies can bake with egg substitutes, but must be very careful to ask about ingredients when eating out.
Foods With Soy
Soy allergies are also common among people who have food allergies. The George Mateljan Foundation explains that people with soy allergies cannot eat foods made with soy flour or soy sauce and cannot drink soy milk. They must also avoid tofu, miso soup and texturized vegetable protein (TVP). Soy-free diets rely on meats, beans and lentils for protein.
Elimination Process
When a person is experiencing symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, stomach cramping or hives, he may be allergic to a food. Yet if he doesn't know what he is allergic to, he needs to go through the elimination process of the allergy-free diet. The George Mateljan Foundation explains that during this process, he slowly removes one common food allergen--such as wheat, soy and eggs--at a time until his symptoms subside. The elimination diet is very restrictive, encouraging foods such as rice milk, lamb, pears, apples, beans and vegetables, but it is also effective for diagnosis. Eventually, he will be able to isolate exactly what foods he is allergic to and avoid them on his lifelong anti-allergy diet.
