Food allergies are a common occurrence. Increasingly, people are diagnosed with allergies to milk, peanuts, nuts, or eggs. But can you still follow a low-carb diet if you have a food allergy? Here’s what you need to know.
Can I Follow a Low-Carb Diet with a Food Allergy?
Nut Allergy
Nuts are an excellent source of healthy fats and nutrients. We often recommend a handful of nuts as a snack or ingredient in your dishes. However, if you have a nut allergy, you should avoid them. Instead, consider other sources of healthy fats such as avocados or fatty fish.
Wheat Allergy
A low-carb diet aims to minimize fast-digesting carbohydrates, which are found in wheat products like bread, grains, pasta, pizza, and pancakes. With a wheat allergy, you can still follow a low-carb diet. The Low-Carb 28-Day Program already contains very little wheat—perhaps only wheat flour in banana bread, which can be easily replaced with buckwheat flour. You can substitute regular wraps with gluten-free ones and find alternatives for almost everything. Opt for slow-digesting carbs from nuts, vegetables, and fruit.
Celiac Disease
Similar to a wheat allergy, celiac disease is affected by gluten, which is found in grains like wheat, rye, barley, spelt, and oats. This aligns well with a low-carb diet, as these grains are minimal or absent. If gluten is present, use the variation list mentioned earlier to choose your preferred alternatives. TIP: Try this delicious gluten-free bread!
Peanut Allergy
Just to clarify: peanuts are not nuts but legumes (like lentils and peas) and contain more carbohydrates than nuts. While peanuts and legumes are generally allowed in a low-carb diet but in moderation, if you have a peanut allergy, you should simply omit peanuts from your diet.
Egg Allergy
You can follow a low-carb diet with an egg allergy. Eggs do not provide essential nutrients that you can't find elsewhere. You can replace eggs with other protein-rich foods such as fish, cheese, meat, and legumes. Although eggs are commonly used in low-carb recipes for their convenience and taste, they can often be substituted or omitted. Be aware of this when following recipes!
Egg allergies are more common in children and are often outgrown. It’s rare for adults to have this allergy.
Lactose Intolerance
We often suggest that dairy can be part of a low-carb diet, as recipes frequently include cottage cheese, cheese, and Greek yogurt, all rich in protein. Can you follow a low-carb diet without dairy? Absolutely! Since many low-carb recipes do contain dairy, you might need to make some adjustments. Dairy can be easily replaced with plant-based alternatives. Fortunately, there are also many dairy-free recipes available.
Many people are lactose intolerant, sometimes without realizing it. If you frequently experience abdominal pain or bloating, you might be sensitive to lactose. Try eliminating dairy for two weeks and replacing it with unsweetened almond milk or coconut yogurt. If your symptoms improve, it may be best to avoid dairy permanently.
Tip from Club Ma: If you want to follow a low-carb diet, check out our article on low-carb diets and meal plans!
What Is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is an abnormal reaction of the body to certain foods. Specifically, it is a reaction to the proteins in these foods. Virtually all animal and plant products contain proteins, but some proteins provoke a stronger reaction than others. These proteins are known as allergens.
The body neutralizes these proteins by producing antibodies. When these antibodies encounter the proteins, histamine is released. Every time your body comes into contact with such a protein, the immune system reacts, leading to allergy symptoms (due to histamine).
Food allergies are more common in young children than in adults, as their bodies are not fully developed and may not break down proteins properly. This can lead to allergen particles entering the bloodstream and causing allergy symptoms. For instance, cow's milk allergy is common in young children because their intestines are not yet fully developed.
Allergy Symptoms
Symptoms can be quite unpleasant and occur immediately or within a few hours after consuming the allergenic food. Examples of allergic reactions include:
- Digestive issues
- Stomach pain
- Runny or blocked nose
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Skin issues (eczema)
- Swollen lips and throat
- Itchy mouth
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
These symptoms can vary greatly and can be triggered by different foods. Reactions can range from itchy lips after eating apples and stomach pain from bread to difficulty breathing after consuming nuts and skin rashes from drinking milk.
Most Common Allergies
Food allergies encompass various types, each caused by different foods. The most common allergies include:
- Cow’s milk allergy (lactose intolerance)
- Nut allergy
- Peanut allergy
- Fish and shellfish allergy
- Egg allergy
- Wheat allergy
- Soy allergy
- Sesame seed allergy
- Stone fruit allergy (plums, cherries, peaches, apricots)
- Pome fruit allergy (apple, pear)
- Celiac disease (gluten intolerance)
Allergies typically involve reactions to cow's milk, nuts, wheat, peanuts, gluten, and eggs. However, some individuals may also be allergic to fish, shellfish, sesame, soy, and apples.
What Is the Difference Between an Allergy and an Intolerance?
The term lactose intolerance often appears in our recipes and articles. But what is the difference between an allergy and an intolerance? Is there even a difference?
Yes, there is a difference. In an allergy, the immune system reacts strongly to proteins that are normally absorbed by the body. The proteins causing the reaction are called allergens. When the body encounters these proteins, it produces antibodies and releases histamine, which causes allergy symptoms.
An intolerance, on the other hand, is a non-allergic reaction. It involves a sensitivity to certain foods, but instead of the immune system, the digestive system is involved.
No antibodies are produced; instead, reactions occur because the food cannot be properly broken down. This can be due to a deficiency in specific enzymes or poorly digestible substances in the food.
Common intolerance symptoms include:
- Digestive issues
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
Is Lactose Intolerance an Allergy?
In a milk allergy, the immune system reacts to a protein in milk, whereas lactose intolerance is when the body cannot adequately digest milk (or more specifically, lactose in milk). Lactose intolerance occurs due to insufficient production of lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk products. When lactase is lacking, lactose remains undigested in the intestines and can ferment, leading to digestive problems.
Gluten Intolerance, Gluten Allergy, or Celiac Disease?
A gluten allergy is an immune system reaction to gluten. The body mistakenly identifies gluten proteins as harmful invaders and mounts a defense to expel these “dangerous” substances. As with other allergies, reactions can worsen and even be dangerous. Gluten must be strictly avoided, and depending on the severity, even traces of gluten may need to be avoided.
Celiac disease is often used interchangeably with gluten allergy, which is understandable. Practically, it means avoiding gluten and its traces, just like with a gluten allergy. However, the difference lies in what happens in the body. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition where the immune system damages the small intestine in response to gluten. This damage can lead to worsening digestive issues over time if gluten is not completely avoided.
Gluten intolerance is also a sensitivity to gluten but does not involve celiac disease and does not cause long-term damage to the small intestine. The exact cause of gluten intolerance is not well understood and may encompass various conditions. This means individuals might have different causes and symptoms. Intolerance might seem less severe than an allergy, but gluten should still be avoided, with trace amounts often being less critical. Note, however, that this varies by individual.
Conclusion
You can successfully combine a food allergy with a low-carb diet. According to the Low-Carb 28-Day Program, you’ll need minimal adjustments, and those can be easily managed using the variation list. The key is to know what you can and cannot eat. For some, food allergies or intolerances are well understood, and they know exactly what to avoid.
However, if you suddenly experience issues from eating more eggs or frequent abdominal pain without knowing the cause, it's wise to consult a doctor. A doctor can assess your diet, family health history, and perform simple tests to determine your allergies.
You can then adjust your diet accordingly and still follow a balanced plan to lose weight. Don’t worry; there’s a solution for everything. You’re not alone. Take the next step— you’ve got this!
