Growing up, we are told not to be picky eaters and to try different foods. But the reality for some is that picky eating is a matter of life or death. Or so they might think.
A few months back, I had a conversation with a chef I know. He was talking about how many more of his diners lately have been making special requests for their meals based on what he claims to be largely fabricated “food allergies.” At the time, I didn’t feel it was right for him to make this assumption. Why would people claim to have a food allergy if they didn’t really have one?
Since then, I’ve begun to wonder more about this. Are more people inventing a tale of a food allergy simply based on their taste preferences or a false self-diagnosis? Or are more people developing allergies to food more often?
Perhaps it’s a little bit of both. Some experts believe that the incidence of food allergies is increasing in part due to all of the vaccinations children receive early in life, making them less able to fight off diseases and allergic reactions than previous generations. It could also be tied to the decreasing rate of breastfeeding, which can help to prevent immune system-related issues, which is what an allergy is.
However, it is still very likely that people are misdiagnosing themselves with a food allergy when, in fact, they don’t actually have one. A friend of mine recently started experiencing a strange abdominal pain, and she tried to pinpoint what exactly she was eating when she experienced it. She started reading things online and decided she had a gluten allergy. Months went by with the random pain persisting while my friend attempted to cut gluten out of her diet. Finally, she asked her doctor to test her for the allergy (she made sure to include gluten in her diet leading up to the test, as you must do for an accurate result), and it came back that she didn’t have the allergy after all. She was spending time worrying about something that didn’t exist while a potentially serious but unrelated problem was being left ignored.
Though it is possible to develop a food allergy later in life (my father had his first allergic reaction to shellfish when he was 21) food allergies among adults aren’t all that common, and when they do occur, it is typically related to genetics — meaning if no one in your family is allergic to a food, you are less likely to be. Between 2 and 4 percent of adults are allergic to some food — usually dairy, fish, soy, wheat or nuts.
However, regardless of the likelihood that you could have a food allergy, if you do start experiencing symptoms like itching in your mouth, difficulty breathing, anything that you would ordinarily think to use Pepto-Bismol to get rid of or skin reactions like hives after eating, you might want to see an allergist who can help set the story straight. Getting tested will give you peace of mind and allow you to figure out what is really going on, keeping you from needlessly shaping your diet around a problem that doesn’t exist. The solution is typically just to avoid that food and carry an epi-pen in case you accidentally eat it.
If you test negative for food allergies but are still finding that certain foods are causing stomach pain, heartburn or headaches, it is very likely you have a food intolerance, which is very common, isn’t life-threatening and is usually related to how much of the food you ate. Or you could be experiencing a reaction to the pesticides on a fruit, an additive or even bacteria, which is a more concerning issue, but entirely unrelated to an allergy.
Personally, I’ve developed lactose intolerance over the past five or so years. I can eat a little cup of yogurt or have milk in my coffee. But eating things like full-fat ice cream is not a fun experience. I deal with it by using soymilk in my cereal and asking for no cheese on sandwiches or salads. I also get headaches sometimes after eating dark chocolate (I have the most unfortunate food intolerances ever), so I keep that in mind before I enjoy.
Bottom line: don’t invent an allergy and don’t try to diagnose yourself. If you are concerned, see a doctor. But if your symptoms are mild, it is much more likely you are just a little intolerant to that food.
If that’s the case, feel free to be a picky eater. Just know that your life doesn’t necessarily depend on it.
Cheers to picky eating (when necessary).
You can reach this columnist at kbarrett@theeagleonline.com.
