Food allergy and intolerance

Every few weeks it seems there’s another news story about another food allergy. Yet despite the intense media coverage and the fact 28% of parents claim they or their children suffer from some kind of food intolerance or allergy, actual cases are still comparatively rare.

Allergies can be brought on by even a tiny amount of the food in question. Most reactions to food are mild and soon pass once the food is out of the system. Occasionally, however, they can be more serious.

Food intolerance can be more difficult to diagnose. It can result in uncomfortable symptoms but the reaction can be delayed, making it harder to trace the cause. Generally, it requires much larger amounts of the offending food before the symptoms become obvious.

The most common foods associated with allergy and intolerance are eggs, peanuts, milk, soya, nuts and shellfish.

Clearly, if you have a reaction to any of these foods, the most sensible thing to do is to restrict them in your diet or leave them out completely.

But cutting out important food groups like dairy or wheat and following a very restricted diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health problems. For that reason, it’s important to seek the advice of a Registered Dietician before embarking on any sort of modified diet.

Coping with an allergy or intolerance means you have to be very careful with the choices you make in the supermarket as well. All Kellogg’s products have clear nutritional labelling on the pack to help you understand what’s inside each one and plan your week’s shopping around your dietary requirements.