When learning that you have a food allergy, your first priority is to avoid meals that contain the culprit ingredient. With food allergies becoming a more frequent assumption, more individuals are skipping a trip to the doctors and deciding for themselves to cut out a food source. A study performed by The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has determined that it is very important to be sure that a real food allergy exists before cutting out foods that may provide vital nutrients.

Special diets to avoid eating certain foods can rob both children and adults of vitamins and minerals that are necessary to thrive. Even a confirmed food allergy can cause nutritional gaps that lead to deficiencies, anemia and poor growth and development.

Frequently Diagnosed Food Allergies

There are several foods that many people cannot tolerate due to an allergy. Over the ages, most individuals simply cut the food out — problem solved without a second thought. The major issue is that these food sources, though common culprits associated with food allergies, provide vital nutrients. The most frequently diagnosed food allergies include:

• Diary
• Soy
• Eggs
• Nuts from trees
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Fish and shellfish

Some individuals are lactose or gluten intolerant. This can pose an even greater challenge to receiving adequate nutrition from a special diet. Skipping food groups can lead to major gaps in the diet. It is important to eat a good mix of food sources within a group and discover new ways to fill the hole left by removing the food that was causing aversions.

Gluten-free grains, such as quinoa and corn, are wonderful substitutes. Some people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate foods and milks that were processed in alternative ways, making up for the essential nutrients that can be lost when cutting out dairy. When a food allergy is discovered, making up for the gap in nutrition is just as important as attempting to avoid consuming a certain food.

Finding Alternatives

It is important to seek counseling from a professional dietician if it is discovered that you are living with a food allergy. This guidance can insure that the person affected is getting the nutrition they need to continue to thrive. Some allergies can be outgrown by the mid-teen years, while others might be lifelong conditions. Advice from a professional can help you follow a diet that will keep them feeling great and getting the necessary nutrients, calories and protein. Keeping a personalized, well-rounded diet can insure that you will have the nourishment you need.

Being equipped with the knowledge to properly handle food allergies will help you to close the major gaps that are left by avoiding certain food groups. Filling these nutritional gaps with help the body to live a long, healthy life. For more information or to get tested for allergies, contact Atlanta ENT today.