Discovery of a food allergy can be a blessing and also a source of anxiety. It can be a blessing as it often comes after a long and frustrating search for the cause of the debilitating symptoms from which you/they have been suffering. And the anxiety? That is inevitable, as you now face changes in your lifestyle or circumstance to accommodate and overcome the problem.
With more and more people discovering or being diagnosed with allergies, it’s important to know what you get and don’t get from the foods you eat.
For example, if you cut out diary, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts, you may miss out on carbohydrates (starch), which provide the main energy source in your diet. Carbohydrates are split into sugars, which are then broken down to release energy. So what are rich sources of carbohydrate? Gluten-rich and gluten-free breakfast cereals, grains, bread, pasta, pulses, potatoes and bananas.
| Cutting out | May miss | What it does | Rich sources |
| Dairy or soy | Carbohydrates (sugars) | Sugars are broken down to form the simple sugar glucose, the primary source of energy used by the body and brain. | Fruit and sweet vegetables, milk, whole grains, honey, white and brown sugar, syrups. |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts | Protein | Provides the building blocks for our bodies to create, maintain and repair skin, hair, bones, organs, muscles, enzymes, hormones and genes. | Red meat, offal, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, glutenous and gluten-free grains, pulses, soy products, nuts and seeds. |
| Dairy, egg, soy, nuts | Fat | Provides a source of concentrated energy, fatty acids, and enables the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K. | Red meat, poultry skin, oily fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, pulses, seeds, vegetable oils and butter. |
| Egg, soy, nuts | Dietary fibre | Indigestible skins, husks and hulls of plants aid digestion and absorption of nutrients and passage of food through the gut. | Pulses, fruit and vegetables with thin skin that can be eaten, nuts, seeds, whole grains, wholemeal bread, brown rice, soy bran, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, bananas. |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, soy | Vitamin A | Keeps the skin and immune system healthy, and is important for bone growth and night vision | Liver, eggs, dairy products, soy, green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, orange foods (carrots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, apricots, pumpkins), fish oils, pulses. |
| Egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts | B Vitamins* | Break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy for growth; help repair skin, and ensure a healthy nervous system and red blood cells. | Red meat, offal, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products, fortified dairy-free milk, soy, fruit and vegetables, pulses, fortified cereals, whole grains, wholemeal bread, brown rice, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, yeast extract. |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts | Folic acid B12 | Enables the formation of red blood cells; necessary for growth and a healthy nervous system. | Red meat, offal, poultry, eggs, green leafy vegetables, pulses, cereals, bread, brown rice, citrus fruits, dried fruit, potatoes, bananas, nuts, seeds. |
| Vitamin C** | Maintains healthy skin, teeth, gums, tendons, bones, immune system; necessary for wound healing, energy production and growth. | Most fruit and vegetables (especially citrus fruits ripened on the tree), green leafy vegetables, green peppers, strawberries, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, melon. | |
| Dairy, eggs, soy | Vitamin D | Enables the absorption of calcium to maintain healthy bones. | Produced by the skin when exposed to the sun. Also in white fish, oily fish, shellfish, molluscs, eggs, dairy products, soy milk. |
| Egg, soy, nuts | Vitamin E | Maintains good muscle control. | Eggs, soy, green leafy vegetables, cereals, bread, nuts, seeds, olives, corn, fish oils and vegetable oil, pulses. |
| Egg, soy | Vitamin K | Aids blood clotting. | Red meat, offal, poultry, eggs, dairy products, green leafy vegetables, strawberries, pulses, beans and lentils. |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soya or nuts | Calcium | Maintains healthy bones and teeth, and muscle function. | Milk and fortified dairy-free milk, dairy products, tofu, fish with fine bones that are eaten (sardines and whitebait), green leafy vegetables, pulses, apricots, nuts, seeds, eggs. |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts | Phosphorus | Maintains, with calcium, strong bones, teeth and muscle function, and is a vital component of cells. | |
| Dairy, egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soya or nuts | Potassium | Maintains, with sodium, the water balance of the body by controlling the composition of blood and other body fluids. | |
| Dairy, egg, soy or nuts | Sodium*** | Maintains, with potassium, the water balance of the body by controlling the composition of blood and other body fluids. | |
| Egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, soy or nuts | Magnesium | Maintains the function of nerves and muscles in artery walls and reduces the risk of diabetes. | |
| Egg, wholegrain wheat, soy or nuts | Iron | Forms haemoglobin in red blood cells to transport oxygen in the blood around the body. | |
| Wholegrain wheat, or nuts | Zinc | Enables growth and development. | |
| Egg, wholegrain wheat, white wheat flour, or soy | Selenium | A potent antioxidant that strengthens the immune system to help protect the body from bacteria and viruses. |
* The B vitamins include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) and B6 (pyridoxine). ** Vitamin C intake is not affected by cutting out any of the common food allergens, but it is an important part of the diet, so it is vital to get an adequate daily intake. *** Very few of us lack sodium in our diets because of the amount of salt added to processed foods. High sodium intake is more of a problem and is linked to disorders such as high blood pressure. It is not recommended that you consume lots of salted products. Only those on a very pure unprocessed diet and avoid a number of food groups are likely to need extra sodium in their diet.
It is important to ensure that you are meeting your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals to ensure your body can still work at its peak performance level. If you do have a food allergy or intolerance, why not talk to one of the friendly caring staff at Health 2000 to see what supplements you should be taking?
Intolerances and nutrition
Discovery of a food allergy can be a blessing and also a source of anxiety. It can be a blessing as it often comes after a long and frustrating search for the cause of the debilitating symptoms from which you/they have been suffering. And the anxiety? That is inevitable, as you now face changes in your lifestyle or circumstance to accommodate and overcome the problem.