Food allergy is a fairly common phenomenon in the modern world. It is manifested by swelling of the mucous membranes, rash, hives, swelling of the skin. In addition, the general condition of a person worsens after contact with an allergenic substance. A hypoallergenic diet will help maintain normal health and not provoke allergy attacks, which is also effective in combating any excess weight.
Hypoallergenic diet: the basics of nutrition
In childhood, allergies most often occur on foods such as chicken eggs (yolk), whole cow's milk, nuts, peanuts, fish and seafood, as well as wheat (more precisely, gluten contained in it). In adulthood, food allergies are more common to peanuts, seafood, chocolate, and honey. If you have a food allergy, you need to carefully study the composition of the dishes and adapt your menu. It is especially important to review the menu if an allergy episode occurs, if a rash, swelling or other signs appear. Often only by changing your diet can you significantly improve your health.
The main task of a hypoallergenic diet for food allergies is to quickly establish the productive work of the stomach and normalize the intestinal microflora. Thick vegetable cream soups and liquid milk soups, as well as a variety of vegetable purees, can help with this process. But soups made from concentrated fish and meat broths should not be consumed during the diet.
Feeding on a hypoallergenic diet is recommended five times a day. This means that the entire amount of food should be divided into three main meals and two intermediate snacks. Most people do not feel any discomfort with this way of eating, such as with a strict diet.
A hypoallergenic diet helps the body recover faster from the stress caused by an allergy attack. It is very important not to stop the diet, even if the external signs of allergies have disappeared, so that the body can recover and cope with the allergen.
It is advisable to follow a diet and consume mainly hypoallergenic products for a long time. Such nutrition can last from 2-3 weeks to 4-6 months. Any severe case of food allergy requires the consideration of a doctor who will give specific recommendations on what to eat and what to avoid.
Hypoallergenic diet: prohibited foods
The main goal of the diet is to detoxify the body and thus improve the functioning of the digestive system. The choice of products must be made taking into account their division into three main groups: hypoallergenic, moderately allergenic and highly allergenic. It should be used exclusively hypoallergenic and moderately allergenic should be limited in quantity. As for highly allergenic foods, of course, they should be completely excluded from the menu. A hypoallergenic diet, the products of which on the menu are allowed, is well tolerated and sufficiently saturates the body with all the necessary vitamins.
So, for the entire duration of the diet, it is necessary to exclude from the menu products that present an allergic threat. These include:
- caviar of any fish;
- sausages - boiled, smoked, cured;
- any hard cheeses;
- smoked meats;
- Honey;
- brightly colored fruits and vegetables (red, orange, yellow, crimson);
- any conservation;
- citrus fruits.
In addition, it is forbidden to eat a variety of sweets, confectionery, cocoa, chocolate and drinking alcohol. Nuts are also banned from consumption, as they are among the most allergenic foods. This was confirmed by experts from the University of Porto (Portugal). Symptoms of a nut allergy are usually quite severe and anaphylaxis is very likely to develop which, if left untreated, is often fatal.
Foods that are among those moderately allergenic should be used with caution in limited quantities and only after consulting a doctor. These products include:
- corn flour and derived products;
- blueberries and blueberries;
- wheat groats and porridge from it;
- legumes;
- fatty meat;
- fatty fish;
- bananas, both fresh and dried;
- apricots and peaches.
Fruit and black tea, as well as herbal decoctions, should be used with caution.
What is allowed to eat on a hypoallergenic diet?
The use of allowed products helps to eliminate all manifestations of allergies as soon as possible. These products include:
- homemade yogurt made from fresh milk without any additives;
- medium fat kefir;
- sweet cherries of light varieties, pears;
- cottage cheese of any fat content;
- buckwheat;
- semolina;
- Rice;
- lean fish and lean meats;
- oatmeal;
- Pearl barley;
- any dried fruit.
It is also allowed to eat green vegetables, that is, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, yellow or green apples, lean pastries prepared without yeast, biscuits and cereals with milk, as well as cauliflower, which is rich in fiber, which is very good for health. According to research from the Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ege University of Izmir (Turkey), fiber nourishes healthy bacteria in the gut, thus helping to reduce inflammation in the gut and normalize digestion.
As part of a hypoallergenic diet, it is quite possible to follow a diet based on kefir or buckwheat for weight loss, as well as protein diets, only eggs and poultry meat should be replaced with veal and cottage cheese. The most accurate dietary recommendations, a list of allowed and prohibited foods should be provided by a doctor, that is, an allergist.
Hypoallergenic diet menu example: lose weight
In general terms, the menu of this diet consists of simple recipes for preparing healthy meals. The main cooking methods are cooking in the oven or microwave, boiling and steaming. The menu might look like this:
- for breakfast, eat buckwheat porridge, which is cooked in water and seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon of butter, cottage cheese casserole, tea with or without sugar (to taste);
- two baked apples are suitable as a first snack;
- for lunch, a great option would be vegetable puree soup with carrots, cauliflower and potatoes, steamed beef meatballs, uzvar;
- for a second snack, stock up on natural yogurt and a banana;
- you can dine on porridge, for example, millet, a portion of vegetable stew and a steamed protein omelette with tea.
If suddenly hunger doesn't let you sleep, you can sit down another baked apple. The extra fiber won't hurt, it will act as a prebiotic and help the beneficial bacteria in the gut to actively proliferate. This is demonstrated by the research of the Nutrition and Nutrigenomics Group, Department of Quality and Nutrition, Research and Innovation Center, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all'Adige, Trento (Italy).
The above menu can be used to normalize the condition after an allergy episode from adults and children. In addition, it is suitable for pregnant and lactating women and the elderly.