Common Food Sensitivities: What You Need to Know By Susan Brady

Rashes, asthma, gastrointestinal discomfort, migraines, anaphylactic shock—whatever the resulting symptom, food sensitivities take their toll on your body and your patience. Whether in the form of an actual allergy or an intolerance due to disease or illness, a significant portion of the world population is affected and must monitor their diet—some with just a watchful eye, others will full-blown vigilance.


It is estimated that 12 million Americans suffer with food allergies alone. Typically, avoidance is the best way to keep symptoms at bay, but for some there are alternatives, such as regular/periodic allergy shots, supplements, and desensitization treatments. The best weapon you can have is knowledge, about the sensitivity and how best to work with or around it.

Here are the basics on 5 common food allergies. For additional information you can check out the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network or the Food Allergy Initiative.

(1) Peanut

This one has been in the news a lot lately, with airlines discontinuing peanut service, and some schools banning peanut butter. Peanut allergies are the most common of food allergies and probably one of the most dangerous. Anaphylactic shock can occur from just peanut particles or peanut dust for those who have severe sensitivity.

The Food Allergy Initiative reports that peanut allergies are on the rise, and in the U.S. the number of children with a peanut allergy doubled between 1997 and 2002. To add insult to injury, this allergy tends to be life-long, not something that you can grow out of, and it increases the likelihood that you will be allergic to other tree nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and cashews.

The federal government requires that packaged food products list peanuts as an ingredient, making it slightly easier to determine the presence of the offending allergen. But you also need to steer clear of anything cooked in peanut oil and many ethnic foods which use ground nuts in food preparation. For those with a severe allergy, you may have to eliminate anything that is processed in the same plant as peanuts, such as candies, baked goods, and ice creams.

(2) Dairy/Beef/Lactose

Typical symptoms of dairy/beef/lactose sensitivities include respiratory (asthma, wheezing, constriction of throat), gastrointestinal (severe gas, diarrhea, vomiting), and dermatological (hives, rashes). Whether you are allergic to dairy, sensitive to beef protein, or have a lactose intolerance, you need to be very careful about checking ingredients in everyday products: there are the obvious ones like milk, ice cream, yogurt and cheese, but can also be hidden in bread, cereal, instant soups, powdered breakfast drinks, margarine, lunch meats, pancake/biscuit/cake mixes, and more. Look not only for milk in the ingredient list, but also casein, whey, rennet, lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactoglobulin, lactoferrin, lactulose, hydrolysates, and even things like cheese flavoring and artificial butter flavor. So read those nutrition labels closely!

Milk allergies affect 2 to 3 percent of infants in the United States and is the most common allergy in infants and small children. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, between 30 and 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant. It is also the case that certain ethnic and racial populations are more affected than others by lactose intolerance. Up to 80 percent of African Americans, 80 to 100 percent of American Indians, and 90 to 100 percent of Asian Americans are lactose intolerant.

Alternatives: Soy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream; Goat milk products. Mocha mix and other non-dairy liquids; Lact-AID or Dairy Ease milk; rice milk; almond milk

Make sure you get enough calcium if you have any problem with dairy products. Calcium is important for formation of bones and teeth when young, and preservation of bone tissue as you age.

(3) Shellfish

This type of allergy is not as common in young children, developing in young adulthood and later. It is the most common adult-onset allergy and is not something you typically “outgrow” or become desensitized to. Once it hits, that will mean no shrimp gumbo, crabcakes, or tasty little crawdads for the rest of your life. While these are not everyday or basic food items, like milk, eggs and wheat, it will take some adjusting.

Typically people are more highly allergic to what I call the “legged” shellfish, such as shrimp, crab, lobster, langoustine, crawdads. But the allergy can extend to bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, cockles) and other types of mollusks (squid, octopus, conch). To be safe, most people allergic to shellfish will steer clear of all types. You will also need to read packaging on all prepared items. Again, this is a foodstuff which the government requires specific labeling, making it a bit easier to spot than reading the whole list of ingredients.

As with other severe allergies, you may need to avoid cross-contamination when eating out. You aren’t going to be able to eat those hush puppies if they have been fried in the same oil as the popcorn shrimp; no steak from the same grill used for lobster; no sushi prepared on the same work surface as a California Roll. This will require diligence at restaurants and asking more questions that you probably want to.

(4) Wheat Allergy/Gluten Intolerance (aka Celiac Disease)

An increasing number of Americans are being diagnosed with wheat and gluten intolerance, due to increased awareness programs surrounding Celiac disease. A wheat allergy deals specifically with the wheat grain, while Celiac disease is brought about by an autoimmune disorder which affects the body's ability to process gluten proteins within grain (wheat as well as others).

Those diagnosed with wheat allergies have about a 20 percent chance of being allergic to other grains. With Celiac disease, you must also avoid barley, rye and oats. There is the possibility of outgrowing a wheat allergy, however those suffering from Celiac disease will have a lifelong issue with gluten and wheat products. Celiac disease can lead to severe malnutrition if not properly diagnosed and because it will require a lifestyle change, make sure that you seek out a proper diagnosis from trained medical personnel, such as an allergist, rheumatologist, or gastroenterologist.

As with other common allergens, the government has mandated packaged food be properly labeled as containing wheat (although not gluten). Be particularly careful about baked goods, bread crumbs, cereals, and grains like semolina, couscous, and farina. You may also find wheat, in various incarnations, in beer, breaded food, sausage, sauces, and even ice cream, salad dressings and soups. General food guidelines for wheat allergy can be found here at the Lucille Packard Stanford Children’s Hospital website.

(5) Egg

Egg allergies are second only to cow’s milk in children, according to the Food Allergy Initiative, but it is one that many children outgrow. The allergy is to the protein in the white part of the eggs, but it is recommended that all egg products be avoided, including the eggs of other birds.

Ingredients to watch for are albumin, egg, globulin, and any ingredient starting with ova-. Labels are required, once again by the government, to show the presence of egg. Foods to avoid include mayonnaise, meatloaf and meatballs, baked goods, salad dressings, frostings and meringue, marshmallows, custards/puddings, and some soups.