Aid! I’m allergic to chocolates: a look at food allergies

If you love chocolates but develop symptoms of a fever, swelling of the throat and difficulty breathing, then you may be suffering from a “chocolate allergy”.

True allergy to cocoa is extremely rare as few people are actually allergic to chocolate. Most of the time, reactions to chocolate are the result of a food intolerance or allergy to an ingredient in chocolate. People may be allergic to one or more food additives used in some chocolate products. Common food allergy triggers in chocolate products include cow’s milk, nuts, wheat or gluten, soy, and corn.

Reactions to chocolates can include headache, heartburn, rectal itching, hives, confusion, and breathing problems. In severe cases, anaphylaxis (an allergic reaction that affects two or more body systems and can lead to life-threatening shock) can occur.

If you have a food allergy, you will need to carefully avoid any food that may trigger it. This means that you must be very clear about each ingredient that goes into your meal. Here are some tips:

Always read food labels on foods manufactured

• Reading food labels helps you identify ingredients you are allergic to

• Food labels must clearly list common food allergens. Read them carefully to avoid these top eight sources of food allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.

• If you have asthma, be sure to ask if sulfites have been added to foods when dining at restaurants. When shopping for food, check labels for the terms “sodium bisulfite,” “potassium bisulfite,” “sodium sulfite,” “sulfur dioxide,” and “potassium metabisulfite.” Avoid buying foods that contain these ingredients.

Make your needs known to others

• When you eat out, make sure your server knows that you can’t eat the food you’re allergic to and that you must be 100% sure that the food you order doesn’t contain it.

• Be aware of the possibility of cross-contamination between foods in the kitchen. Your server must make sure that your food has not been prepared on surfaces or in containers that contain any of the foods to which you are allergic.