Written By: Dr Reshma Nayak | Updated : February 24, 2015 10:21 PM IST
Allergic conditions are on the rise the world over but more so in India. While allergy testing and proper labelling standards are followed in the west, the large, unorganized food market in India is yet to follow this. Lakhs of people consume foods which they do not know they're allergic to. In this post, we try and explain some of the basic concepts related to food allergies and how you can avoid them.
One of the most important points is to identify if what you have is a food allergy or intolerance. Food intolerance occurs due to the inability to digest or process certain substances (eg: Lactose intolerance or intolerance to protein in the milk) while food allergy is a more pronounced reaction mediated by our immune system. Symptoms of food allergy may range from difficulty in breathing, reduced blood pressure, a feeling of choking in the throat, unconsciousness which may even progress to what is called 'anaphylactic shock'.
Though food allergies may be identified at any age since people are exposed to new ingredients all the time, most true allergies are identified during childhood. Some of the more common allergens include peanuts (mungfali), fish, certain other nuts like walnuts, almonds, milk, soyabeans, MSG (or monosodium glutamate used in chinese food) and wheat. When you're buying any new food items or from a brand you've not used yet, check the labels carefully for ingredients you are known to be allergic to. If there are no labels, avoid buying the product.
Recent research also shows that allergy instances may be on the rise due to dicholorphenol containing pesticides and other chemicals used to treat vegetables and fruits by farmers. These chemicals also find their way into our water. While washing fruits and vegetables and cooking in bottled water may be safe, it isn't a practical solution. A lot of food items like Indian sweets, oil, ghee etc especially during festival times may be adulterated with ingredients which may cause allergic reactions. While preparing sweets at home might be the best solution, it is wise to buy these from reputed brands. Avoid sweets that are very brightly coloured as the food dyes added may act as allergens. And do look out for the ISI or the AGMARK certification while buying spices.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis.
When your child is trying any new food item, be careful and keep an eye on him/her for any untoward symptoms. You should also know that a person allergic to one food item may have allergic reactions to other food in the same group. For eg: If someone is allergic to milk, he may also be allergic to butter, cheese and other milk products. Once you suspect allergies to food, keep a food diary and note down each item you eat throughout the day. Find a good allergy specialist/allergist/immunologist without much delay. Be safe, be allergy-free!
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