Peanut allergies are a common food allergy. Peanut allergies have increased among children among children between 1997 and 2002, reports The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Thus, most people avoid them to ward off allergic reactions associated with peanut consumption. Several food sources contain peanuts and shouldn't be consumed if you have a peanut allergy.
Sauces
Many sauces prepared in restaurants or commercially commonly use peanuts as a thickener, the Food Allergy Initiative states. Peanuts are used in chili sauce, hot sauce, pesto, gravy mole, spaghetti sauce and various salad dressings. The only way to avoid peanut allergic reactions is to avoid these types of foods and prepare most of your foods at home. When in doubt about a particular product, contact the manufacturer for information on what ingredients it includes and how it's prepared.
Oriental Food
Since many Oriental dishes are prepared with peanuts and peanut oils, they should be avoided if you're allergic to peanuts. You can also develop allergic reactions from cross contamination because foods are sometimes prepared in the same work area as foods with peanuts or peanut oils. The Food Allergy Initiative warns that you should avoid Chinese, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine if you have a peanut-related allergy. You should also be careful about eating African, Indian and Mexican foods since peanuts are often included in the cuisine.
Cookies
When you're looking to enjoy cookies that are free of peanuts or peanuts oils, it's imperative to bake them at home so you can control the cooking area and ingredients. TeensHealth recommends avoiding bakery or store prepared cookies because they are often cross contaminated with peanuts. Many baked goods are prepared in the same work space and often contain peanuts in their ingredients. Other foods to watch out for include brownies, cake and ice cream.
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