Most Common Food Allergies

Knowing the most common food allergies is vital, especially if you know someone who is prone to food allergies. Food allergies might not sound as intense as heart attacks or cancer, but they can be just as harmful, even deadly. If someone touches a food they are allergic to, they could have serious food allergy reactions that require immediate treatment. People can die if they consume food that has just briefly touched the offending food.

It's important to know about the most common food allergies so that you can seek food allergy treatment. For example, some people are so allergic to nuts that they go into anaphylactic shock once consuming, and this could cause death.

The United States Food and Drug Administration says that 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by eight relatively common foods. The most common food allergies are to milk, egg, nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat. Because people are so commonly allergic to these foods, FDA labels will list these ingredients on packing to help minimize risks.

Depending on the intensity of a person's allergy, reaction to coming in contact with trigger foods can vary. In many cases, accidentally eating foods to which a person is allergic will result in rashes, wheezing or diarrhea. In high-risk cases, however, coming in contact with the food in any manner - touching food that has touched the offending food or, for instance, if the plate wasn't thoroughly washed following use - can result in anaphylaxis, a drop in blood pressure that can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Because of these risks, simply avoiding these foods is not necessarily enough to keep you safe. One has to be extra cautious when eating out, as they can't be sure of which items have been used to make the dishes. If you're allergic to milk, you need to be cautious of not only pastries and cakes but also any meal that involves sauces.

Additionally, if someone has a severe allergy to shrimp, doctors will tell the individual to stay away from similar foods, as the allergy could be triggered. For example, if a person has crab or lobster, they could have an allergic reaction simply because the body recognizes the similarities between the foods. This reaction is commonly called cross-reactivity.