Food allergy is an immune reaction that results after eating a certain food. Even a very tiny amount of the food can trigger massive signs and symptoms. In some individuals food allergies can even cause an anaphylactic shock.

It is believed that 5-8 percent of the population has some type of allergy to food. There is no cure for food allergies but many people outgrow this problem with age. Sometimes the food allergy symptoms are confused with food intolerance. Food intolerance is a much less serious condition and does not involve the immune system. The symptoms of allergy to food do vary from mild abdominal cramps to a full blown life threatening event. The typical food allergy symptoms include:
- A tingling sensation in the mouth
- Hives, itching or a skin rash
- Swelling of face, lips, tongue or throat
- Shortness of breath, wheezing, nasal stuffiness
- Stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Some individuals develop an allergic reaction to food which is triggered by exercise. When this happens the individual will feel light headed and develop an itch. Exercise-induced food allergies are avoided by not eating for several hours before exercise or avoiding foods that cause the problem.
In some individuals who have allergies to pollen or hay fever, there is a tendency to develop allergies to certain foods. As soon as these individuals eat food, they may feel a tingling sensation or swelling of the lips. This phenomenon is simply explained by cross reactivity. This cross reactivity only occurs to uncooked foods and is avoided by cooking the food.
Food allergies occur because the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a certain food as dangerous and starts an immune reaction to destroy the food. The next time you eat the same food, the body unleashes an intense immune reaction with release of chemicals (eg histamine) which produces symptoms of allergy.

People generally have allergies to the following foods:
- Sea foods like shellfish (e.g. shrimp, lobster and crab)
- Peanuts, walnuts, pecans, cashews
- Fish
- Eggs
- Dairy products
There is no evidence that chocolate ever causes allergies.
Food intolerance may cause similar symptoms to food allergies but in fact the symptoms are mostly digestive like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. With food allergies even the slightest food will provoke an intense immune reaction whereas people with food intolerance can eat the same foods again and again. Sometimes it is not the food that people are sensitive to but the chemicals inside the processed foods. Other disorders that may be mistaken for food allergies include lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, food poisoning, celiac disease, sensitivity to food additives like MSG. Food allergy treatment means avoiding foods which causes the unpleasant signs and symptoms. For minor reactions, one may take an over the counter anti histamine. However, for severe cases, food allergy treatment necessitates the use of an auto injector (Epipen). This device with pre-filled epinephrine can be life saving when injected into the thigh.
If you think you have allergy to food, keep a diary of what you eat and then identify when the symptoms occur. Next go and see a physician so that you know how to deal with symptoms of food allergy in case a severe reaction occurs in the future.