Some foods may give you a feeling of sickness after consuming them. Common signs of food allergies are hives or even rashes. Other people experience itchy hands and fingers, there may even be a tingling sensation. Food allergies are not particularly rare as over ten million people in America alone suffer from these ailments. Most food allergies are mild afflictions, but some allergic reactions can be fatal. Hundreds of people die each year from severe allergic reactions to foods.
Children are at the most risk because they are not fully developed yet. Also parents do not know about what food allergies their child may or may not have until one has occurred. Often times your child will out grow his or her allergies to most foods. As they grow older their body will adapt to many different kinds of foods. Keep in mind however that not all children will grow out of their food allergies. Some children will even carry these childhood food allergies into adulthood. A child that retains their ailment as they become an adult will most likely keep it with them during their entire life.
Eating at a restaurant if you have allergic reactions to some foods can be dangerous. This is because there really is no telling what exactly was put into the foods being offered. If you know what kind of food affects you, then be sure to ask a waiter or a cook what ingredients the dish you plan to order has in it. Taking this precaution could very well avoid an unwanted trip to the hospital.
Packaged foods can also be a danger for those with allergens. The key to eating packaged foods is to learn to read the labels. It is not always as easy as it sounds as some words for ingredients on labels can be different from what you know them by. You could ask a clerk for help if you are new to reading nutritional information and need to know if a certain ingredient is included so that you can avoid it.
Statistics state that eight percent of all children are or will be affected by food allergies. Adults are affected at four percent because most children grow out of their allergies as stated earlier.
One of the most common food allergens is peanuts. Foods that contain peanuts almost always warn people with food allergies whether or not the product contains them. You can find the warning usually right on the nutritional information section of the label. Also foods that are made in the same factory as peanuts will have a warning that their product may contain parts of peanuts.
Taking the proper precautions is the best way to avoid allergic reactions to foods. Just watch what you eat and read labels to make sure you are avoiding foods that can cause your body harm.
