Sofi The growing problem of food allergies
Unfortunately, the number of people allergic to food is growing by the day. According to data by The Food Allergy Organization approximately 32 million people have some sort of a food allergy in the USA alone. It is also estimated that at least two children in one classroom are likely to be allergic to some food.
More than 170 foods are reported to cause allergy, with eight being most common: milk, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, soy, fish. In some cases they cause severe allergic reactions called anaphylaxis.
Food allergies have been increasing constantly for the last 30 years. With no link to only one factor, some of the elements causing the increase of allergies to food worldwide may include pollution, dietary changes and less exposure to microbes, which change the way our immune systems respond.
Common food allergies and food families
The most common allergies in adults are: peanuts, tree nuts, milk and shellfish . Although some allergies can be outgrown, for the previously mentioned food allergies it is generally considered that they cannot be outgrown.
Because different foods belong to different food families it is quite possible for one person, allergic to one member of a certain food family to be allergic to other members of the same food family as well. This is called cross- reactivity. The food proteins are similar and the body recognises the protein of the food you are allergic to when you are consuming food from the same food family, thus causing an allergic reaction.
For example: Peanuts belong to the pea family. Beans, soybeans, black-eyed peas, licorice and tragacanth also belong to the same food family. Thus, people allergic to peanuts in some cases may also be allergic to beans and peas, but not necessarily allergic to other nuts. Because they are not related. Another example is with people allergic to potatoes. They may also be allergic to tomatoes, but not to sweet potatoes, because sweet potatoes do not belong to any food family.
According to some studies there is a 90% risk that a person allergic to cow milk will also have allergic symptoms when consuming goat and sheep milk. The risk is much lower (5%) for mare’s milk.
Because the protein is the same, during an allergies blood test, the allergy may be recognised because your immune system will recognise the protein, but you may actually be able to tolerate consuming that food. For example studies have shown that 50% of people allergic to peanuts will be allergic to other legumes as well, but 95% of them can tolerate and eat the cross-reactive legumes.
Individual reactions to foods from the same family vary therefore one must always consult with an allergist.
Below we are adding a list of food families. If you or any of your loved ones are sensitive to one food, be careful with all related foods.
| Food families | |
| Plant food families | |
| Apple | Apple, pear and quince |
| Buckwheat | Buckwheat, rhubarb and garden sorrel |
| Cashew | Cashew, pistachio and mango |
| Citrus | Orange, lemon, grapefruit, lime, tangerine, kumquat and citron |
| Cola Nut | Chocolate (cocoa) and Cola |
| Fungi | Mushroom and yeast |
| Goosefoot | Beet, spinach, sugar beet, Swiss chard |
| Melon | Watermelon, cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, squash and other melons |
| Grains/ Grass/ Cereals | Wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, rye, wild rice, cane millet, sorghum and bamboo sprouts. |
| Heath | Blueberry, cranberry, huckleberry |
| Laurel | Avocado, cinnamon, bay leaves and sassafras |
| Lily | Asparagus, chive, garlic, leek, onion |
| Mallow | Cottonseed and okra |
| Mint | Mint, peppermint, spearmint, thyme, sage, horehound, marjoram, basil, savory, rosemary, balm (melissa) and catnip |
| Mustard | Mustard, turnip, radish, horse radish, watercress and varieties of cabbage (cabbage, kraut, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, collards, kale, kohlrabi and rutabaga) |
| Myrtle | Allspice, guava, clove pimento (not Pimiento) |
| Nightshade | Capsicum, cayenne pepper, chili, eggplant, ground cherry, paprika, potato, tomato |
| Palm | Coconut and date |
| Parsley | Carrot, parsnip, celery, parsley and celeriac. Also the following spices: anise, dill, fennel, angelica, celery seed, cumin, coriander and caraway |
| Pea (legume) | Peanuts, Peas (green, field, black-eyed), Beans (navy, lima, pinto, string, soy, etc.) Less important are licorice, acacia and tragacanth |
| Plum | Plum, cherry, peach, apricot, nectarine, wild cherry and almond |
| Rose | Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, dewberry and such developed berries as loganberry, y |
| Sunflower | Lettuce, chicory, endive, artichoke, dandelion, sunflower seed, salsify, tarragon. |
| Walnut | English walnut, black walnut, pecan, hickory nut and butternut youngberry, boysenberry, etc |
| Animal food families | |
| Mollusks | Oyster, clam, abalone and mussel |
| Birds | All fowl and game birds: chicken, turkey, duck, goose, guinea, pigeon, quail, pheasant, etc |
| Mammals | Beef, pork, lamb, rabbit, squirrel, venison, etc. Cow’s milk is of the same animal origin as beef. Most persons allergic to cow’s milk cannot take the milk of other animals such as goat |
| Fish | All true fish, either freshwater or salt water such as: salmon, tuna, sardine, catfish, trout, etc. |
| Crayfish | Crab, lobster and shrimp |
| Foods without relatives | |
| Arrowroot, banana, black or white pepper, Brazil nut, capers, chestnut, chicle, coffee, elderberry, fig, grape, hazelnut, filbert, honey, juniper, flaxseed, karaya gum, maple sugar, New Zealand spinach, nutmeg (mace), olive, oregano, papaya, pineapple, persimmon, poppyseed, saffron, sesame seed, sweet potato, tapioca, tea, vanilla and wintergreen. |
Although there are new modern approaches to the treatment of food allergies, most medical experts on food allergy recommend avoiding the foods you are allergic to and always being prepared in case you suffer from anaphylaxis.
Although it is not a significant improvement of life for people with allergies, being well informed and reading the labels of the products is important to make yourself and your close ones feel safer.
If you want to learn more about food allergies we advise you to reach out to local allergists.
