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Major food sources and symptoms for people with food chemical sensitivities
Most foods fall into categories due to their chemical content, whether natural or artificial. Many people find it hard to believe that natural chemicals found in fruits and vegetables and other foods important for good health could be a problem. It is true. Since the 1960’s people such as Dr Feingold www.feingold.org, and others such as Dr Anne Swain and colleagues at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney www.sswahs.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy have been researching the effects of such chemicals on a whole range of symptoms such as irritable bowel symptoms, mood and behaviour changes. For those who experience food intolerances to food chemicals, the results of an elimination diet are no less than impressive.
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The most common food chemicals are:
Salicylates
Found naturally in most fruits and vegetables. The stronger the colour and flavour, the higher the levels of salicylates.
Salicylates are also present in smells from flowers, perfumes, household cleaning products, personal care products and are also in many medications (but are often unlabelled).
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Some of the highest salicylate foods are:
Avocado
Tomato
Most fruits except peeled pears. The riper the fruit, the lower the level of salicylates.
Fruit juices
Dried fruits
Honey
Herbs and spices
Flavours, Food colours
Reactions commonly experienced by people experiencing salicylate intolerance include: loose bowel actions, bowel incontinence, light, sound, temperature and touch sensitivity, extreme fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, reflux or mood and behaviour changes. NB: This is by no means an exhaustive list and each individual varies in what they can tolerate.
Amines
Naturally high levels are found in:
Aged and preserved meats. The older or more cooked the meat, the higher the amines content.
Cheese.
Wine,
Many fruits and vegetables. The riper the fruit the higher the amine content.
Chocolate,
Cheese
Tomato
Flavours, food colours
Reactions commonly experienced by people with amine intolerance include: headaches/migraines, irritable bowel
Glutamates
Found naturally in:
Soy sauce,
Cheese,
Tomato,
Mushrooms,
Also includes monosodium glutamate and other flavour enhancers (MSG). See table below.
Reactions commonly include: constipation, headaches/ migraines, irritable bowel.
For a more complete list of possible side effects of food chemicals on susceptible individuals, visit
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Food Additives including preservatives, colours and flavours and flavour enhancers.
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COLOURS - artificial |
102,104,110,122,123,124,127,129, 132,133,142,143, 151,155,
natural colour 160b (annatto), 120 (cochineal) |
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PRESERVATIVES |
Sorbates 200-203
Benzoates 210-213
Sulphites 220-228
Nitrates, nitrites 249-252
Propionates 280-283
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SYNTHETIC ANTIOXIDANTS |
Gallates 310-312
TBHQ, BHA, BHT 319-321
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ARTIFICIAL FLAVOURS |
No numbers – manufacturers will not disclose as they are trade secrets
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FLAVOUR ENHANCERS |
Glutamates incl MSG 620-625
Ribonucleotides 627, 631, 635
Hydrolysed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
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Information adapted with permission from the Food Intolerance Network.
Note: Some people also have difficulty with natural colours and flavours, particularly people with salicylate sensitivities.
Reactions commonly experienced from consumption of food additives include IBS type symptoms such as headaches, bloating, mood and behaviour changes, extreme fatigue. For more information about about food chemical intolerances, how to diagnose them and how to undertake an elimination diet the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital booklet is available. It is highly recommended that you talk to your doctor and a dietitian before undertaking a restricted diet. If it’s not done properly, you can miss intolerances or become malnourished from being on a restricted diet. For more information about food additives go to the Food Intolerance Network.
Further sources of information:
Published literature
Breakey J, Review article The role of diet and behaviour in childhood. J Paediatr Child Health 1997.33: 190-194.
Websites
Joan Breakey - Food Sensitivity dietitian - www.ozemail.com.au/~breakey
For more information about food additives go to the Food Intolerance Network
Master of Science (Nutrition and Dietetics), University of Wollongong
Disclaimer:
At Allergy Train, we aim to be a source of nutritional and food hypersensitivity information to guide you in your journey through an elimination diet or in learning to live on a restricted diet. However, the information provided on our site is for educational purposes only and should never be used to diagnose food hypersensitivity or other medical conditions. It is very important you talk to a health professional such as a doctor and a dietitian before you undertake any kind of dietary elimination process or restricted diet.
Our Allergy Train Pty Ltd website contains links to other websites to assist you with obtaining more information. However, we do not necessarily endorse all the content on these sites. Please critique each of these sites yourself before taking on board any of the information found on these sites.
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