Approximately one in 25 people suffers from a food allergy. They are slightly more common in young children and in people who have a family history of them. Most food allergies develop early in life, and many are outgrown.

Food allergies occur when your body's immune system reacts to a substance in a food, usually a protein, your body sees as harmful. This sets off a chain reaction within your body. Symptoms can occur within minutes and can be mild–such as a runny nose or itchy eyes to severe and even life-threatening.

A food intolerance is not the same as a food allergy. An intolerance occurs when your body is unable to digest a certain component of a food, such as lactose, a sugar found in milk; monosodium glutamate; or sulfites, a preservative. Though symptoms of intolerance may be unpleasant, including abdominal cramping or diarrhea, they are not life-threatening.

Types of Food Allergies

More than 160 foods are known to cause food allergies. However, eight foods account for 90 percent of all food-allergic reactions:

1) Milk
2) Egg
3) Peanuts
4) Tree nuts (walnuts, cashews)
5) Fish (pollock, salmon, cod, tuna, snapper, eel, and tilapia)
5) Shellfish
6) Soy
7) Wheat

Eating Well with Food Allergies and Intolerances

People with food allergies or intolerances need to avoid foods that make them sick. But navigating menu items and dishes, where many foods include a combination of ingredients, can be difficult. Allergy-triggering foods may be prepared on the same counters, or with the same utensils as non-allergy causing ingredients. Through cross-contact, a food allergen can creep into what may otherwise be a safe food.

If you have a food allergy, be sure to speak with whoever is preparing your food to inform them of your allergy and ask them to be especially careful when preparing your food.

If you have a food allergy or intolerance:

Meet with a Registered Dietitian.

An RD can help you understand which foods are safe to eat and how best to avoid items that may cause a reaction. When foods are cut from your diet, you may be short-changing yourself on important vitamins and minerals. An RD can help ensure you get the nutrition you need for your health and lifestyle. Click here to find a dietitian.

Learn About Ingredients in Foods.

Eggs, wheat, milk and other allergy-causing foods often are called by other names. To help you avoid allergens, the Food and Drug Administration has mandated food companies specify on product labels if any of the eight major allergens is contained in the food. If you do not have an allergy to one of the eight, your RD can guide you on how to further read an ingredient label.

Read Labels Carefully.

Manufacturers can change ingredients of products without notice, so double-check ingredient labels every time you buy a food, even a familiar one. Cosmetics and beauty products also may contain common allergens such as milk, egg, wheat and tree nuts.

Talk with Your Day Care, School and Workplace.

Make sure the teachers, nurse and administrators at your child's school or day-care center are aware of your child's food allergies and that they know how to respond to adverse reactions your child may experience. Similarly, inform your coworkers of allergies you have. Some people are familiar with food allergies and know what to do if a person has a reaction; others may not and will need your help in keeping your risk for exposure low.

 Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website (previously the American Dietetic Association)