View Photos Common food allergies actually account for a huge majority of all kinds of allergic reactions in human beings. You must have heard people say that 'I am allergic to this food or that'. What it basically means is that, consuming that particular food triggers an unfavorable reaction in the body. It could be swelling for some or breathing problems due to inflamed respiratory tracts for others. There are many types of food allergies; some are more common than others.
Sometimes you may be vaguely aware but not sure of the allergy you are suffering from. This is because you would not know the exact component of the food that is causing the allergy. Here is a list of the 5 most common food allergies people suffer from so that you can check if you fall under any category.
5 Common Food Allergies:
1. Peanut Allergy: You would tend to think what can a harmless peanut do to you. Do not be deceived by its size; it is the most common and dangerous allergy for human beings. Most allergies don't result in death but this type of food allergy can. In fact, there are enough and more cases of deaths due to this common food allergy, especially children.
2. Shell Fish Allergy: Again very common and a severe form of allergic reaction is seen to shell fish. Prawns, lobsters, oysters, clamps all come in this category. They are mainly seafood and the allergen that triggers the reaction is iodine. All kind of seafood should be on your foods to avoid for allergy list because all sea plants and animals contain iodine.
3. Egg Allergy: This is an allergy that is common just like the first 2 but unlike them not so severe. Egg allergy is mostly seen in very small kids and fades away as they grow. It is rarely observed in fully grown adults. The protein albumin that is the white of the egg is responsible for the allergy. This type of allergy can be prevented simply by having yolk or even hard boiled eggs. This is because albumin is a protein that can be easily denatured by the heat of cooking.
4. Milk Allergy: There is a major difference between intolerance to milk and a milk allergy. In the first case you have digestive problems with milk as you either lack the necessary enzyme or you just don't have a strong enough digestive system. The allergy is caused by the milk protein lactose. Food to avoid for this allergy are all the milk products like cheese, butter, curd, etc.
5. Soy Allergy: All soy products like soy milk, soya sauce are derived from soybeans. It is quite common to find people allergic to these. If you have this allergy, it is possible for you to have legume allergy which is a larger group of allergies to all legumes like peanuts, beans, peas, etc.
Follow some good health tips and get yourself checked for these common food allergies.