Honey is very important for humans in the winter season

Understanding the 8 most common food allergies

 Food allergies have become an important topic in recent years for many reasons. Their incidence is on the rise, affecting 30% of adults and 40% of children. People can be allergic to almost anything, but 8 allergens are the most common. What is an allergy? When your body is exposed to an irritant (known as an allergen) such as pollen, it attacks it. When it happens, we usually don't even notice. Sometimes, if the allergen is in excess or your body is particularly sensitive to it, this immune response kicks into gear. Your eyes water, your nose is stuffy, or you develop an itchy rash. Some allergens cause life-threatening reactions, such as anaphylaxis, which leads to a sudden drop in blood pressure and narrowing of the airways. Foods can also act as allergens. When someone is allergic to a food, they cannot eat it at all. Some allergies are so severe that people cannot even be near the irritant because inhaling or touching it could cause anaphylaxis.  Intolerances, such as the inability to digest milk (lactose intolerance), are not typically life-threatening, although they cause discomfort such as bloating and diarrhea when ingested. Big 8 The Big 8 are the cause of 90% of reported allergies and the FDA requires labeling to warn consumers of their presence or potential presence in foods. 1. Peanuts: Peanuts are legumes that as a group is responsible for a large number of allergic reactions. People allergic to peanuts are unlikely to be allergic to other legumes such as lentils.  2. Shellfish: Shellfish can also cause severe allergic reactions. Crustaceans (shrimps, lobsters, crabs) are the most common, although some allergic reactions can occur with shellfish (clams, mussels, oysters). Shrimp is considered the most allergenic. 3. Fish: Cod, salmon, haddock, tuna, mackerel, and snapper are among the fish that commonly cause fish allergies. The allergen of this group is the fish muscle protein parvalbumin. These allergies often develop in adulthood and are less likely to outgrow.  A milk allergy causes an immune response to proteins in milk. All milk can be a problem, including milk from cows, goats, and sheep. Most children outgrow their milk allergy. 5. Eggs: It is also common in children that both the yolk and the white can cause a reaction, but in some cases, the egg yolk is less allergenic. Eggs are not only used in food, but also in skincare and cosmetic products that contain eggs. Most children grow out of egg allergies. 6. Soy: Also in the legume family, soy is an allergy that children are likely to outgrow. Here in the United States, soy is most commonly found in processed foods, either as soybean oil or soy protein isolate. People with soy allergies can have soy lecithin without problems. 7. Wheat: Wheat allergies are fairly common and usually disappear in childhood. A wheat allergy is different from celiac disease, where gluten causes an inflammatory reaction. The celiac disease triggers a different immune response than other allergens. True wheat allergies are uncommon in adults. 8. Tree Nuts: One of the strongest and most common allergens, tree nut allergies affect 1.1% of the world's population. People with tree nut allergies should avoid macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts. Reactions associated with nuts are often severe, with walnuts and cashews causing the most reactions. At least 90% of children who have a nut allergy will not outgrow it. In conclusion, The accuracy of food labeling is essential for allergy sufferers, but it is not so easy to be sure when dining out. Don't be afraid to ask your waiter or chef what's in the dishes, including allergens the food may have come in contact with. It is in your best interest to enjoy your food safely! Bonnie R. Giller helps chronic dieters, emotional eaters, and people with health issues like diabetes break their diets to get the healthy body and life they want. It does this by creating a tailor-made solution that combines three essential ingredients: healthy thinking, caring support, and nutrition education.