What allergies to look out for in your vegan diet

8th February 2023

What allergies to look out for in your vegan diet

Veganism is on the rise. The number of people looking for an animal-product-free life is increasing and now makes up 3% of the UK population. It might not sound like much, but that’s over 2 million people. And the UK market for meat substitutes is the largest in Europe, worth over 500 million euros.

Whether you do it because you love animals, are conscious of your impact on the environment, or just want to be healthier, then that’s fantastic! You do you. But a vegan diet doesn’t mean you can escape food allergies. And some might not get your attention until they become a major part of your diet.

So what are some vegan-friendly foods and meat substitutes that you should be aware of? Let’s take a look.

Tofu

Maybe the first thing many people will think of when it comes to vegan foods: tofu. It’s certainly one of the most well-known meat-substitutes. At face value, it looks like a plain white block – how can you be allergic to it?

Well tofu is made from soya beans, and soy can be a trigger for some people. This is something that you may run into in a meat-eating diet, too. Up to 60% of manufactured foods are believed to contain soya. So while tofu might make up a lot of vegan diets, it might not be appropriate for some.

Seitan

Seitan is similar to tofu. It’s a popular meat replacement and is perfect for vegan diets. Unfortunately for some, it is made from gluten, which will affect those with a gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.

Symptoms can include severe gastrointestinal distress – diarrhoea, stomach aches, indigestion, constipation, and the like. It can be an alternative to tofu – and vice versa – so if you’re allergic to one, the other might be the right choice for you.

Nut milks

Obviously, in a vegan diet, you can’t have milk. It comes from an animal (usually a cow) and is considered inappropriate. The dairy alternative market has certainly skyrocketed in recent years partly because of this and people becoming more aware of their lactose intolerance. So much so that this market is predicted to be worth over $60 billion by 2029.

Now you have products like oat milk and almond milk. But for someone with a tree-nut allergy – specifically almonds – it’s going to cause trouble. This could happen in two ways. One, if a person is allergic to birch pollen, they will likely also react to almonds. Two, almonds themselves may cause a reaction, potentially leading to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

It’s something to always be aware of, especially if you’re going through a major diet change. And this doesn’t even go into oral allergy syndrome, which you might experience with certain fruits. Just because vegan alternatives are healthier doesn’t mean they’re safe for everyone. Watch what you eat, and make sure you’re staying happy and healthy.

If something in your diet is causing you distress but you aren’t sure what, then get in touch. Our allergy specialists can guide you through the process of figuring it out and giving you helpful advice to avoid it in the future. To find out more, call us on 02031 433 449 or register as a new patient with us.

Is there a link between our allergies and iron deficiency?

15th June 2022

Is there a link between our allergies and iron deficiency?

Unfortunately, there is no ‘easy’ solution to solve allergies. There’s no magic pill to make them go away. Even antihistamines, which can be used for seasonal allergies, have their limits. But there’s a wealth of research going on to try to find the answer.

And one study coming out of Austria might just have one. Researchers across several institutes are looking into small dietary changes that could reduce the impacts of some allergic reactions. It all comes down to iron levels in the blood. Let’s take a look at what this study found and what it might mean for the future of allergies.

The study

Scientists at the Messerli Research Institute of MedUni Vienna, Vetmeduni Vienna, and the University of Vienna conducted a trial to see how targeted dietary measures could reduce symptoms. In a placebo-controlled study, they gave participants a specifically developed lozenge. This was based on the whey protein beta-lactoglobulin from cows, which acts as a carrier for numerous micronutrients.

But what about the iron? Well, it isn’t technically an iron supplement because there’s so little of it in the lozenge. Instead, what makes it effective is that the micronutrients are in a suitable form to be carried by the whey protein to the immune cells.

The researchers found that people who took the lozenge had significantly reduced symptoms in their birch and grass pollen allergies. And, after six months with it, there was a noticeable improvement in iron levels in monocytes and red blood cell parameters.

What does this mean?

It’s still early days for this research, so don’t expect to see the lozenges on store shelves just yet. And, as you might have already realised, it isn’t a ‘cure’ for allergies. Nor has it been tested with more severe reactions.

But it does represent a new way to treat allergies by simply changing parts of our diet. And using the lozenge could present a universal way of treating allergies. It’s a lively field of research, and isn’t the only study into the link between iron and allergies. Here’s one exploring the link and another with a similar purpose.

As long as people are suffering from allergies, there will be research trying to help them. But until the day comes that they find a solution, you’ll have to be careful with your reactions. Don’t forget to take care of yourself and talk with an allergy specialist if you ever have any concerns.

If you have any questions about your allergies, get in touch with one of our allergists today. You can register as a new patient here, or call us on 02031 433 449.

Food allergies and intolerance in infants

1st August 2018

Food allergies and intolerances in infants

Food allergies can cause a lot of worry, especially when you have to send your child off to school. These allergies are not always easy to spot, but it isn’t impossible.

The first step to take is to identify whether your child is suffering from an intolerance or allergy. Physical reactions such as bloating to specific foods aren’t uncommon. They are likely to be considered an intolerance rather than an allergy. Both can have similar symptoms which is why they are often confused.

Allergies are characterised as being life-threatening and occur when the body’s immune system perceives a specific food as harmful, leading to an allergic reaction. Whereas intolerances are less severe and often will only cause issues such as stomach pains or nausea; this is usually a result of the body not being able to digest certain foods or the digestive system reacting to the food and becoming irritated as a result.

Dietary alternatives

If your child is intolerant, then they may be able to consume minimal amounts of the food they are sensitive to without too much discomfort. You can swap out foods for alternatives, such as oat milk instead of dairy milk. Ask your doctor for help in aiding your digestion, as well as seek medical help for any underlying health issues that are causing the sensitivity.

Early intervention

The BSACI’s Paediatric Allergy Group (PAG) and the Food Allergy Specialist Group (FASG) of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) have developed guidance to identify allergies in higher risk infants and advice in early prevention of allergies.

They suggest that you introduce a variety of vegetables, fruit, starchy foods, protein, as well as pasteurised dairy into your child’s diet as early as six months old. Including foods commonly associated with allergies such as egg and peanuts. It’s also worth noting that babies who suffer from eczema are at a higher risk of food allergies.

Symptoms

The guide states that there are two categories to be aware of:

• Immediate – typically happens within 30 minutes of consuming the food.
• Delayed – occurs hours after the dietary trigger.

Immediate symptoms include:

• Swollen lips, face or eyes
• Itchy skin rash
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting

Rarer symptoms include:

• Swollen tongue
• A persistent cough
• Difficulty in breathing or heavy breathing
• Unresponsiveness

Delayed symptoms include:

• Persistent abdominal pain, vomiting
• Food refusal or aversion
• Frequent stools, constipation
• Skin redding or itch over the body

If your child suffers from eczema, an allergy can make the eczema flare up and worsen.

Testing

Intolerances can be diagnosed by the exclusion of products one by one, with further reintroduction in a blinded manner, confirming the absence and return of the symptoms. Our clinic can test for allergies in children. We can give dietary advice after doing one or more of the following tests:

• Skin prick test with commercially available food extracts
• Prick to prick test with fresh or cooked food
• Challenge test with food in a safe hospital environment
• Blood test Specific IgE to food
• Biochip – molecular method of Specific IgE detection Immunocap ISAC

If you find that your child is experiencing any of the symptoms listed in this blog, get in touch with us today on book an appointment with one of our consultants to take the first steps to preventing their discomfort.