By United Supermarkets Nutrition Team
United Supermarkets’ Lifestyle Desk
Did you know that 5 percent of adults and 8 percent of children have a food allergy? Food allergies are very common, and research says they are only going to continue increasing in prevalence. We’ve all heard of food allergies, but what exactly are they, and what causes them to occur?
When someone has a food allergy, their body triggers an immune response against certain foods. This is because the immune system is flagging some of the proteins in the food as harmful, which triggers a cascade of events in the body.
This includes the release of a chemical known as histamine, which promotes inflammation. Symptoms can vary in their presentation, onset, and severity. Some of the most common symptoms include swelling of the tongue, mouth or face, hives, itchy rash, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
Sometimes allergies can cause more severe reactions such as anaphylaxis and can even be fatal.
There are two main types of food allergies, IgE antibody or non-IgE antibody. As the name implies, an IgE food allergy involves the release of the IgE antibody. An antibody is a type of protein in the blood that is used by the immune system to fight infection.
However, in a non-IgE food allergy, the IgE antibodies are not released. Rather, the body uses other parts of the immune system to fight off the “threat” from the food. It’s important to note that the human body is extremely complex and can develop and grow out of food allergies or intolerances thus making it important to know your foods.
Although food allergies could be seemingly endless, there are eight main food “culprits” that are responsible for these reactions to occur. These include: Cow’s milk/dairy, Eggs, Tree nuts, Peanuts, Shellfish, Wheat, Soy and Fish.
Some of our Dietitian’s favorites are the brand Enjoy Life, Sunbutter, and Just Eggs.
Allergy Friendly Blender Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins
What You Need
4 Medium overripe Bananas
3 Tbsp. Just Eggs
1 c. SunButter
2 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 c. Maple Syrup
1 1/2 c. Banana Milk
4 c. Gluten Free Oats
1 1/2 c. dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Enjoy life Chocolate Chips
How It’s Made
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a blender combine bananas, Just Eggs, sunbutter, vanilla extract, maple syrup, banana milk and blend for 1 minute
3. Add oats, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and blend for 2 minutes scraping down the sides as needed
4. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Line muffin tins with liner
6. Fill the liner 3/4 of the way full
7. Top with peanut butter chips
8. Bake for 35 minutes. To test for doneness, toothpick should come out almost clean but not entirely
9. Place on a wire rack to cool completely
