Symptoms of a food allergy or intolerance can vary from life threatening anaphylaxis to mild gas and bloating. Some people experience severe migraines while others have brain fog and irritability. Once you have identified a food intolerance and recognize the difference in how much better you feel it becomes important to avoid your food triggers.
Common food allergens sneak into many foods, especially if we eat out or eat packaged foods. The best way to avoid food allergens is to cook at home, stay informed and learn to read food labels. Here are ingredients to look for on labels if you are avoiding one of the common food allergens
Dairy
- Dairy
- Casein hydrolysate
- Casein
- Cheese
- Caseinates
- Cottage cheese
- Sour milk
- Custard
- Curds
- Diacetyl
- Tagatose
- Half-and-half
- Lactalbumin, lactalbumin-phosphatase
- Lactoferrin
- Lactose
- Lactulose
- Milk – all forms
- Milk protein
- Pudding
- Recaldent
- Rennet casein
Most dairy allergies are due to casein and or lactose. The lactose and casein is either eliminated or reduced in the following dairy products and may be tolerated by patients with dairy allergies.
- Whey proteins
- Whey
- Sour Cream
- Yogurt
- Ghee
- Cream
- Butter, butter fat
- Cream Cheese
Dairy may be in many of the following. Always check to be sure the label says dairy free.
- Artificial butter flavor
- Baked goods
- Carmel candies
- Chocolate
- Lactic Acid starter culture
- Other starter cultures
- Lunch meats, hot dogs, sausages
- Margarine
- Nisin
- Nougat
Soy
- Edemame
- Miso
- Natto
- Shoyu
- Soy albumin
- Soya
- Soy cheese
- Soy milk
- Soy flour
- Soy fiber
- Soy protein
- Soybean
- Soy sauce
- Tamari
- Tempeh
- Textured Vegetable Protein
- Tofu
- Soy oils
Soy may be found in the following foods. Always check to be sure the label says soy free. Many foods are processed on machines that also process soy products and contamination is common.
- Asian foods
- Vegetable broths
- Vegetable gum
- Vegetable starch
Wheat
- Bread crumbs
- Bulgur
- Cereal extract
- Club wheat
- Couscous
- Cracker meal
- Durum
- Einkorn
- Emmer
- Farina
- Flour
- Wheat protein
- Kamut
- Matzoh
- Pasta
- Seitan
- Semolina
- Spelt
- Sprouted wheat
- Tritcale
- Vital wheat gluten
- Wheat
- Wheat bean hydrolysate
- Wheat germ oil
- Wheat protein isolate
- Whole wheat berries
Wheat is sometimes found in the following foods. Always check the label to be sure foods are wheat and gluten free.
- Glucose syrup
- Soy sauce
- Starch
- Surimi
For more information like this check out the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) website at www.foodallergy.org.
