Even if a person tests negative for food allergies, it is possible that he or she is hypersensitive or intolerant to certain foods. The action of pseudoallergens can trigger types of reactions that are entirely similar to allergic-type reactions, having in common signs such as hives and symptoms such as itching, although, unlike true allergies, in pseudoallergies there is no intervention by the immune system.
To people with
urticaria
may be recommended a pseudoallergen-free diet that first requires avoiding all possible pseudoallergens for a few weeks, so as to study the progress of symptoms, aiming to be able to admit them back into the diet gradually and after understanding the potential action of each.
What are the main pseudoallergens? They include foods such as strawberries, tomatoes or nuts, some spices, some legumes or vegetables, but also items such as additives, dyes, preservatives, antioxidants, histamine.
It often happens that many people even after practicing allergy tests with negative results complain of allergic symptoms such as asthma, exhaustion, diarrhea or migraine after ingesting certain types of foods or the components added in the preparation.
Some patients prove sensitive to additives in foods, such as sulfites, MSG.
Unfortunately, there are still few studies on the reactions that can arise from the action of the added components, which can be varied and significant, including urticaria and angioedema.
It is possible to prepare a diet very customized to the person’s needs, taking note of the reaction to each individual food, or additive, of any symptoms that may arise after the meal, of any improvements or worsening as a food is introduced or removed from the diet .
It is in any case advisable, before resorting to diets that exclude certain foods, to ascertain the general health condition of the person, his or her vitamin dosage, the extent of the problem of allergies or pseudo-allergies, in order not to expose the patient to nutritional deficits and related problems.
