How ‘Spicy’ is your Allergy?!

It is sad to see people suffer from food allergies. I have always seen people especially kids, allergic to milk, allergic to peanuts, allergic to cucumbers, allergic to walnuts, but have you ever seen people allergic to spices? Spices? Well, there you go! Though it is hard to believe, spice allergies are on the high these days.

Allergies to common spices like garlic, paprika, cinnamon, and fennel does affect millions of people around the world. But, not everyone might ever know that these are allergies. A lot of us might feel that our digestive system gets upset when we eat certain food, or that we have a tummy ache when we eat out a lot. It is difficult to pinpoint that the reason for these conditions are spices.

 The symptoms could be hives, stomach ache, diarrhea, itching of the lips; the symptoms could be like any other food allergy. But the fact is that there is no blood test or skin test which can diagnose these symptoms. You could have all of the above symptoms but may never know that it is spice allergy. These allergies affect you internally and you only get to know when it becomes critical.

All that can be done is to prevent ourselves from getting these allergies. Always buy good brand foods, buy fresh spices, and herbs and as far as possible eat home-made food. The frozen dinners might be good once in a while, but the list of spices is not given in detail on them and so might harm your intestines in the long run. Read the labels of the ingredients well enough to note that there is nothing in it that could upset your system. 

Even if you buy the same brand of things, be sure to check the ingredients every time you buy it. The company could have changed the ingredients when making the new batch, so always check it out first!

If you want to try to test your spice allergies, try noting down all that you eat prior to getting any kind of allergic symptoms or any kind of stomach upset or ache. Try this test for months with all kinds of combinations and in the end you might be able to pinpoint the culprit of your allergies. When conditions persist, see a certified allergist, keep track of your food and inform them of it.

Even if you get to know the spice that causes your allergies, it is difficult to standardize rules for it. The way you cook it and the other ingredients that you use it with might alter the effects. What could trigger an allergy in a restaurant might not trigger when cooked at home. Some spices’ allergy causing agents might be destroyed on cooking and some may become strong on cooking.

It is a strange allergy that doesn’t leave its tracks behind when it attacks. So trod slow and be steady, and you might be able to catch hold of your allergy triggering spice sooner than later. In the meantime, buy fresh spices and enjoy cooking them at home with your favorite dishes. After all, who doesn't love spices?! And as it is a very rare allergy, you might not be the one to get the allergy at all!