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 3-5% 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. Having more than two of these signs might indicate anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening reaction.
A detailed list of allergy reactions can be found here from Food Allergy Canada
There is no cure for food allergies. The only way to prevent a reaction is to avoid the specific food(s) that caused the reaction.
Priority Food Allergens cause 90% of all allergic reactions in Canada. Learn more by clicking on each below.
- Peanuts
- Tree Nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews)
- Milk
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Sesame Seeds
- Wheat
- Mustard
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 a specific part of a food. For example; lactose, the natural sugar found in milk. More information about lactose 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 links below for more information.
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
