Food allergies are a relatively common phenomenon in today's society. The number of allergy sufferers is increasing practically every year. A kind of paradox is the fact that most patients of this type are found in highly developed countries. This condition is influenced by many factors, and the most common products that can cause allergic reactions include cow's milk proteins, eggs, fish, seafood, as well as nuts and wheat. Therefore, in this text, we will attempt to explore the reasons for this and identify products that can be good alternatives to the aforementioned allergens.
What exactly is a food allergy?
An allergy is an abnormal and usually excessive reaction of the body to certain substances, also called allergens. There are four basic types of such reactions: food, inhalation, infectious, and contact reactions. We will only focus on the first type, but it is worth noting that a food allergy is not the same as a food intolerance. In the former case, our body reacts incorrectly to the presence of certain proteins and tries to fight them, often with negative effects on the entire system. With a larger amount of allergen or extreme hypersensitivity, a life-threatening condition can even occur. Interestingly, in some cases, the presence of various cofactors is necessary for this to occur. This term includes factors, but also substances, that can trigger or accelerate an allergic reaction. Good examples include various bacterial or viral infections, as well as excessive physical exertion, medications, chronic stress, and even alcohol. However, in the case of intolerance, we usually face a lack of appropriate enzymes to digest such compounds, which leads to malaise and other symptoms such as diarrhea. It is worth noting that these reactions are, in the vast majority, not life-threatening, but very unpleasant and distressing. In 1995, a group of scientists, based on the collected data, identified a number of allergens that most frequently cause a severe allergic reaction in our population. This list, in turn, was approved in 1999 by the Codex Food Commission and to this day bears the name "Big Eight." It includes: cow's milk, soybeans, tree nuts and peanuts, shellfish, fish, chicken eggs, and wheat.
Allergy to fish and shellfish
Proteins found in fish and shellfish can be safely called strong allergens. Allergic reactions that occur after consuming them are usually rapid and severe. Sometimes, they can even lead to anaphylactic shock, which is extremely dangerous to our health and life. It's worth remembering that people who are severely allergic should avoid even their smell or contact with the food itself, as well as the person who has had it for a short time. Admittedly, these are rare cases, but they do occur. Some proteins lose their allergenicity when subjected to heat treatment. Unfortunately, this group does not include fish and shellfish proteins. After all, they are resistant to such treatments and in no way lose their properties as potential allergens. Moreover, most people who are allergic to fish are also allergic to shellfish. So the question is, what can we replace these foods with? The best choice is foods with similar macro- and micronutrient composition. A good choice is to include larger amounts of nuts in your diet and ensure you get enough protein. You can eat various types of meat, but also eggs, or enrich your daily menu with olive oil. Fish is an extremely rich source of unsaturated fatty acids and easily absorbed protein, so it's also worth eating sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flaxseed, and consider supplementing with these fatty acids if possible.
Allergy to various nuts, including peanuts
All types of nuts are very strong allergens. Nearly 15 of them have this effect. However, peanuts (peanuts) lead the way on this list. They trigger severe allergic reactions, often leading to anaphylactic shock—especially in large quantities. Due to the resistance of the proteins they contain, it is very difficult to remove these properties. Therefore, all methods to deprive them of their allergenic properties have so far been unsuccessful. Interestingly, such sensitization is much more common in children and adolescents than in adults. However, such an allergy does not go away with age; it is only possible to slightly alleviate the allergic symptoms that occur after ingestion. Nuts can be replaced in the diet in several ways. The first is the consumption of nuts that are called nuts, but are by no means classified as such. We are talking about coconuts, but also nutmeg. We can also introduce a variety of nut oils into the diet. They don't trigger allergic reactions, but only refined ones should be chosen, as only these are safe for allergy sufferers. It's also worth choosing, for example, toasted oat flakes, sesame seeds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes, and even pine nuts.
Chicken egg allergy
Proteins found in chicken eggs are also strong allergens. However, they should be given more attention, if only because they are usually introduced into a child's diet immediately after milk. It's worth remembering that egg whites have much stronger allergenic properties, which is why there are situations where consuming only egg yolk does not cause negative symptoms. Interestingly, most allergies are recorded between the ages of 4 and 5. It's also worth noting that, unlike its predecessors, it is possible to reduce the allergenic potential of chicken eggs. According to recent research, boiling eggs can reduce this by up to 75%, but this heat treatment should last about 10 minutes. It's worth noting that frying and baking eggs are even more effective, and it has been reported that 50 to 85% of allergy sufferers tolerate eggs well after appropriate heat treatment. The most common countermeasure for allergies is the implementation of an elimination diet, but at the same time, we deprive ourselves of many health-promoting nutrients. Therefore, you should pay particular attention to ensuring adequate protein intake in your diet. It's worth increasing your meat consumption, including red meat, as this will ensure your iron supply. Beef, lamb, rabbit, or turkey are certainly good choices. You can also indulge in fish and seafood, of course, only if you're not allergic to them. You should also pay attention to the right amount of vegetables and fruit. Beets, apricots, broccoli, and peaches are particularly good in this case. It's also worth consuming vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, or rapeseed oil.
Soy allergy
Soy is a relatively new food for our population. Therefore, it's not surprising that it causes severe allergic reactions in many people. While it has long been used successfully for infants with milk protein allergies, it is estimated that almost 14% of children with milk allergies are also allergic to soy proteins. Furthermore, it is a relatively inexpensive product, contains a lot of protein for a plant, and is simply delicious. For this reason, it is also widely used in the food industry. Soy lecithin, in particular, is found in cold cuts, sauces, sweets, and even medicine capsules. All this means that allergy sufferers must be extremely careful and carefully read almost every ingredient in the product, as it may contain soy. Furthermore, no way to reduce its allergenic effect has yet been found, so it is worth considering an elimination diet. Nevertheless, soy is not a leading product, especially in Europe. Therefore, if we eliminate it from our diets and maintain a healthy diet, we are virtually guaranteed not to develop nutritional deficiencies. However, let us remember that this abolition should also apply to soy products such as tofu and soy sauce.
What are cross allergies?
Cross-allergies are allergic reactions that occur in our body when one of the allergens recognizes the corresponding antibody and binds with it. This is interesting because this antibody may have previously been produced in response to another allergen. However, the structure of both is so similar that the body classifies them as the same allergen. Therefore, different, even seemingly very different substances can lead to the occurrence of cross-allergies. Such a situation occurs, for example, with birch and apple pollen, grass and orange pollen. In latex allergy sufferers, almost the same allergic reaction can occur after eating a banana. The occurrence of an allergy does not necessarily lead to cross-reactions, but the likelihood of such reactions is very high. Therefore, it is worthwhile to familiarize yourself with the tables of such reactions in order to be able to test whether a particular cross-reaction occurs in us.
Summary
It's important to remember that food allergies and food intolerances are not the same thing. Although the symptoms may appear similar at first glance, the mechanisms underlying their development are very different. It's also worth knowing that a food allergy doesn't necessarily indicate a nutrient deficiency. In such cases, it's worth looking for substitute products with a similar composition, thus ensuring an adequate supply of certain macronutrients and micronutrients. This is very important for maintaining health and well-being.
Bibliography
- Food allergies in childhood. _ Allen KJ, Hill D, Heine R Medical Journal of Australia 2006; 185.7:394.
- Food processing and allergenicity. _ Verhoeckx, Kitty, et al. Food and Chemical Toxicology (2015).
- Allergic cross-reactions, clinical and diagnostic aspects. Cudowska B., Kaczmarski M. Allergy 2 (2003): 41–45.
-
Immunology , edited by Marek Jakóbisiak , ed. III - revised, Warsaw 2000
- Nittner-Marszalska, Late phase of the immediate allergic reaction (LAR) – why it’s worth knowing?, Allergy 2008, No. 4, pp. 12–14.
