Allium-free Academy

Allium allergy is a reaction from the immune system when it comes into contact with alliums (onion, garlic, shallot, chives, scallion, ramps, and leeks). The immune system thinks that unharmful allium substances are harmful to our body, and it starts attacking them. This can lead from mild to severe symptoms. For more info about allium allergy, check out this blog post.

Alliums are plants that are used in cuisines all around the world. They are onion, garlic, shallot, chives, scallion, leeks, and ramps.

Even tho, alliums are popular and have health benefits, they may be dangerous and cause harm to humans. Not everyone should eat alliums, and even if you don’t have problems with alliums, eating them in large quantities can cause problems.

You should skip alliums if you have:

1. Allium allergy
2. Allium intolerance
3. GERD – consuming alliums can put extra strain on the stomach, and make acid reflux even more intense.
4. Gallstone – eating alliums makes the gallbladder work more, and because of that it puts extra strain on the gallbladder and it can cause attacks.
5. IBS – alliums are high in the fructans and they can worsen IBS symptoms.
6. Sensitive stomach – sometimes allium can be aggressive to your stomach and cause you distress.
7. Kids – they have sensitive taste buds, and sometimes alliums can be very aggressive to their taste buds. They can cause discomfort in their mouth and throat.

Allium intolerance is a reaction from our GI system when alliums are ingested. Unlike in the allergy, the immune system is not involved. With intolerance, our body has trouble breaking down certain food compounds, and it causes digestive issues.

Usually, allium intolerance is not life-threatening like allergy, but if you are consuming alliums when having allium intolerance you can damage your body, and cause detrimental effects in the long run. Read this article for more details about the difference between allergy and intolerance.

Maybe you are experiencing stomach aches, bloating, skin rash, nausea, itching around your mouth, or some other symptoms immediately after eating or a few hours after. All of this can be a sign of allergy and intolerance, and you should visit your healthcare provider to get help.

When visiting your healthcare provider, one of the first questions they would ask is what are your symptoms, when did you experience your symptoms, and what did you eat. And you should be prepared for it.

Before you book an appointment, you should prepare information about your symptoms and the food that you consumed. With this step, your healthcare provider will have important information and they will get your diagnosis quicker, and easier.

• Keep a food journal: write down everything you eat, including ingredients in home-cooked meals and details from restaurant menus. Include condiments, spices, and seasonings too. This information can help your doctor identify potential triggers.
• Record your symptoms: Write down the symptoms you experience, including their severity, how long they last, and when they appear.

Here I would like you to show what you may experience while you are getting diagnosed with allium allergy. Every process of allergy diagnosing is unique, and depending on your individual case and the healthcare provider’s judgment, the exact diagnostic methods might differ.

The first step is always medical history. It is an interview where your healthcare provider will ask you questions related to your medical history, your family medical history, what are your symptoms, and when they are happening. Here you can show a food journal so that your healthcare provider can have better insight into your symptoms. After this, your healthcare provider will decide about allergy testing or an elimination diet.

There are 3 tests that your healthcare provider can conduct:

• skin prick test – a small amount of allium extract is applied to the skin, and the area is pricked to allow the allergen to enter. If a raised bump or redness develops, it indicates an allergic reaction.
• blood test – blood tests, such as specific IgE tests, measure the levels of antibodies produced in response to allergens. Elevated antibody levels suggest an allergic reaction.
• oral food challenge – in some cases, allergists may conduct an oral food challenge under medical supervision to confirm a food allergy. This involves gradually increasing doses of allium-containing food, and monitoring for allergic reactions. Do not do this on your own!

An elimination diet involves removing alliums and allium-derived ingredients from the diet for a period and then reintroducing them while monitoring for allergic reactions. This method can help identify specific food triggers and confirm allium allergy.

Unlike with the allium allergy, there are no specific, reliable medical tests for allium intolerances. The most common way to get diagnosed with allium intolerance is by elimination diet.

Your healthcare provider will give you a list of foods that contain alliums, and you will have to avoid eating allium for a short time and track how you are feeling. Then, you will introduce alliums again, and keep track of your symptoms.

Allium-free means that products, recipes, or food are free from:

• onion, garlic, shallots, leeks, scallions, chives, or ramps in raw form
• allium-infused oils – like garlic-infused oil
• allium powders – like garlic powder, onion powder.

Unfortunately, alliums are hidden in the majority of the food. By law, producers don’t have to list alliums on the labels. Usually, alliums are hidden in the words: natural flavor, spices, and flavor.

To be sure that a product is safe for you, contact the producer, and they will let you know if they use alliums in their products.