Food allergies: Know what you eat
A tempting bowl of strawberries, a delicious fish dish or just a piece of tasty cheese. The water comes protesting in the mouth but the body. Why are some people allergic to some food components that often are healthy and necessary to our body?
A tempting bowl of strawberries, a delicious fish dish or just a piece of tasty cheese. The water comes protesting in the mouth but the body. Why are some people allergic to some food components that often are healthy and necessary to our body?
Food allergies are not easy to detect. The potential allergens in most
of the nutrients are still not sufficiently known to identify them
through the existing techniques. There are also additional difficulties.
Sometimes people react long after they have eaten something so that the
relationship between the food and the reaction to it is not always
clear. Moreover, not all comments allergic. Nutrition Ingredients that
contain dyes or preservatives may cause pseudo-allergic reactions. In
this case, we talk about food intolerance. However, its effect is not
known. Finally, it is possible that someone a malicious link between a
physical reaction and something he ate or drank, perhaps because he did
not like.
Detection Techniques
The most reliable diagnostic methods are elimination and provocation. Of course, the provocation technique, whereby individual food components can be administered to elicit a response, to happen only in a hospital context. The reactions can indeed be severe.
UZA head dietician Martine De Clercq explains: "When a patient is probably allergic to a food ingredient we go two matters. We ask in detail about what he or she eats and what is suspect. Then, we determine whether the patient has no defects. Doctors, family or magazines, after all, give so much advice which people often mistakenly certain matters no more food which can cause a deficit. In the worst case, the patient is admitted, and we stop the diet completely. He then a few days gets a special feeding tube which consists of amino acids with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Then we test daily food through the probe. Such provocation procedure is not without risk and should be done very cautiously. In a positive reaction, the patient must avoid the food thus identified. If it is a necessary dietary component, we propose an alternative where possible (e.g., soy milk instead of milk) must, or for the deficit (for instance calcium) can be compensated using pills. "
Food with common sense
It would have to think that these detection tests can solve everything wrong. "Often you do not know the composition of the diet," dietician Annemie Van de Sompel notes. "A small amount may be enough to obtain an allergic reaction. Often people ask, for example, lists of cookies without milk but a manufacturer can change the composition of the product over time. Even if dietitians we can not all know. Since November 2005 has stricter regulations for labeling to but manufacturers are cautious and often mention that there may be a trace of this or that is in, or that the product was manufactured in a factory that certain other matters are handled that could adversely affect have. The result is that people are willing to eat even less. '
In their practice dietitians are also faced with the psychosocial impact of food allergy. "When we advise people to avoid certain food components, we want to be sure," says Martine De Clercq. "Conversely, it is not easy to convince people that they are certain things that they avoid long, still can eat. Sometimes you see eating disorders arise because they focus too much on food. "
Cross Allergies: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
Less known but no less of a problem are the so-called cross allergies. Approximately 50% of individuals who are hypersensitive to (birch) pollen can also be allergic to pome and stone fruits (apples, pears, peaches and certain vegetables (carrots, celery, potatoes) because these foods contain proteins that closely resemble the pollen proteins. Fortunately, this kind of cross allergy is not usually the most dangerous and the symptoms usually remain confined to the oral allergy syndrome (see sidebar: Foods of plant origin). Hypersensitivity to nuts can cause a very severe reaction with life-threatening swelling of the mouth and throat as well as shock.
Detection Techniques
The most reliable diagnostic methods are elimination and provocation. Of course, the provocation technique, whereby individual food components can be administered to elicit a response, to happen only in a hospital context. The reactions can indeed be severe.
UZA head dietician Martine De Clercq explains: "When a patient is probably allergic to a food ingredient we go two matters. We ask in detail about what he or she eats and what is suspect. Then, we determine whether the patient has no defects. Doctors, family or magazines, after all, give so much advice which people often mistakenly certain matters no more food which can cause a deficit. In the worst case, the patient is admitted, and we stop the diet completely. He then a few days gets a special feeding tube which consists of amino acids with all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Then we test daily food through the probe. Such provocation procedure is not without risk and should be done very cautiously. In a positive reaction, the patient must avoid the food thus identified. If it is a necessary dietary component, we propose an alternative where possible (e.g., soy milk instead of milk) must, or for the deficit (for instance calcium) can be compensated using pills. "
Food with common sense
It would have to think that these detection tests can solve everything wrong. "Often you do not know the composition of the diet," dietician Annemie Van de Sompel notes. "A small amount may be enough to obtain an allergic reaction. Often people ask, for example, lists of cookies without milk but a manufacturer can change the composition of the product over time. Even if dietitians we can not all know. Since November 2005 has stricter regulations for labeling to but manufacturers are cautious and often mention that there may be a trace of this or that is in, or that the product was manufactured in a factory that certain other matters are handled that could adversely affect have. The result is that people are willing to eat even less. '
In their practice dietitians are also faced with the psychosocial impact of food allergy. "When we advise people to avoid certain food components, we want to be sure," says Martine De Clercq. "Conversely, it is not easy to convince people that they are certain things that they avoid long, still can eat. Sometimes you see eating disorders arise because they focus too much on food. "
Cross Allergies: The apple does not fall far from the tree.
Less known but no less of a problem are the so-called cross allergies. Approximately 50% of individuals who are hypersensitive to (birch) pollen can also be allergic to pome and stone fruits (apples, pears, peaches and certain vegetables (carrots, celery, potatoes) because these foods contain proteins that closely resemble the pollen proteins. Fortunately, this kind of cross allergy is not usually the most dangerous and the symptoms usually remain confined to the oral allergy syndrome (see sidebar: Foods of plant origin). Hypersensitivity to nuts can cause a very severe reaction with life-threatening swelling of the mouth and throat as well as shock.
"In the US, peanut allergy is the leading cause allergies' says prof. Dr. Didier Ebo, the immunologist at the UZA. "The investigation into the causes of this cross allergies and particularly the implications for patients far is still underway. One suspects that many relationships between allergies will be discovered and that new diagnostic tests will be needed to identify the risk better. Within our service comes a lot of research in that regard to the value of the basofielenactivatietest.
What to look for?
How a person will react to certain food components is unpredictable. In principle, all "allergic" symptoms may, individually or in combination: asthma, migraine, urticaria, skin swelling, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, eczema, ... Virtually any nutrient can cause allergic reactions, but there is a list of 'favorites' most common.
Milk
An allergic reaction to cow's milk is common in childhood, especially in infants. This allergy usually decreases from the age of two years. The most common symptoms are atopic eczema, hives or swelling of the skin or subcutaneous tissue, paleness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Allergic reactions occur not only when drinking pure milk but also after ingestion of food preparations with milk.
Cheese
Cheese contains not only components of milk but may also be a significant source of allergens mold or tyramine, a pseudo-allergen that occurs in large quantities in old cheeses.
Egg
Those who is allergic to eggs mainly reacts to the protein. After cooking an egg, there are often fewer complaints but still an egg contains potent allergens which can trigger symptoms even after incorporation into other food ingredients. The hypersensitivity to eggs usually occurs in children and decreases with age.
Fish
Fish contains a very potent allergen. The best-studied allergen is derived from cod. Highly sensitive people exhibit all symptoms of inhaling the fishy smell alone. Fish allergy is difficult to determine because species such as tuna, sardines or mackerel also may trigger pseudo-allergic reactions.
shellfish
Mussels, oysters, shrimp, crab or lobster. These are animals that often cause strange reactions. A true allergic reaction is already noticeable after eating a small amount. Pseudo-allergic reactions are often only evident after ingesting a large portion.
Meat
Allergic reactions are rare in meat. Some people react pseudo-allergic response to nitrites (in pork) and sulfites (beef). People with allergies to milk or animal epithelia may have a cross allergy to meat.
Food of plant origin. Dangerous in the category of plant foods are nuts. This may cause severe allergic reactions such as asthma, rhinitis or shock. Fruit mainly causes hives. In children, it usually goes for citrus fruits, strawberries, and melons. Strawberries or bananas can cause pseudo-allergic reactions. In adults, especially the oral allergy syndrome for pome and stone fruits significant. When eating these fruits, they mostly suffer from itching, irritation, and swelling of the mouth and pharynx. When vegetables are beans, peas, carrots, celery and squash the big culprits. Some are only sensitive to raw vegetables. Hypersensitivity to celery, chervil, carrot, anise, fennel or caraway is often accompanied by hives and, rarely happy with shock as a physical exercise follows within 6 hours after ingestion. Soy can give rise to an inflammatory bowel disease or classic allergic symptoms. Peanuts can provoke severe allergic reactions, often on the skin or in the gastrointestinal tract but also shock occurs. Finally, there are also vegetables such as tomatoes that are often considered to be allergenic but mainly provide pseudo-allergic reactions. Among the cereals we mention the most important allergens wheat and corn, but these are often difficult to remove from our diet. This allergy usually decreases with age. Some professions such as Baker are often sensitive to different types of flowers, causing them asthma or hay fever. Some spices such as coriander, white pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin or mustard can cause allergy symptoms. Also, for vegetarians, very favorite meat substitute Quorn® (prepared from Fusarium venerated) can provoke severe allergic reactions. An allergy to honey is due to allergens that are both derived from the pollen of bees as saliva.
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