Food Allergies
Food allergy is a medical condition where your immune system mistakenly treats something in a particular food (most often, the protein) as if it is dangerous to you. Your body reacts to the food (an allergen) by having an allergic reaction.
Food allergies affect about 7.5% of the population. Food allergies are more common in children than adults and some food allergies can be outgrown.
An allergic reaction usually happens within minutes after being exposed to the food (allergen), but sometimes it can happen many hours later. The most common signs of a reaction are: hives/rash/swelling, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness or passing out. The symptom and severity can differ each time and can get worse quickly. Having more than two of these signs might indicate anaphylaxis which is a severe, life-threatening reaction. Although, breathing or heart symptoms can be anaphylaxis on their own.
A detailed list of allergy reactions can be found here from Food Allergy Canada.
There is no known cause or cure for food allergy. However, there are new therapies emerging such as immunotherapy or desensitization. See here for details.
Priority Food Allergens cause 90% of all allergic reactions in Canada. Learn more by clicking on each below.
- Peanuts
- Tree Nuts
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish (crustaceans and molluscs)
- Soy
- Sesame
- Wheat and triticale
- Mustard
Others to note that do not cause a true allergic reaction but can cause allergy-like symptoms:
- Sulphites (a food additive)
Food Intolerance is not the same as food allergy. A food intolerance does not involve the immune system and occurs when the body is not able to digest or absorb certain foods. For example; lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. For more information on food intolerance, click here.
If you have a food allergy, your doctor or heath care provider can help you find a Registered Dietitian that can assist you. See the link below on how you can connect with one.
Allergy Resources and Supports
- Food Allergy Canada
- Children’s Allergy & Asthma Education Centre
- Health Canada: Food Allergies
- Canadian Society of Allergy and Immunology
- Allergy Aware Canada
- Caring for Kids - Canadian Pediatric Society
- Unlock Food – Dietitians of Canada