Nutrition for food allergy

Having to remove multiple foods from the diet long-term can lead to nutrient insufficiency and deficiency. Your body runs on nutrients from the foods you eat. When nutrients are missing, imbalances develop, and symptoms and health problems follow.

If you or your little one is allergic to multiple foods, working with a professional that can help make sure the diet is complete is important. This is especially the case for little ones, who are growing and developing, and desperately need those nutrients.

Additionally, there are certain nutrients found to be lower in those with food allergies, compared to those without food allergies. Also, the gut microbiome of children with food allergies show signs of dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is abnormal gut bacteria and can refer to overgrowths, imbalances, and infections. Dysbiosis is associated with inflammation in the gut, and certain patterns of gut bacteria have been observed in those with food allergies.

Incorporate these nutrients into your diet for food allergies

Nutrients important for food allergies (based on elimination of common allergenic foods including milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts, fish and shellfish): Protein, calcium, vitamin B2, phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, biotin, vitamin E, vitamin B1, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin B3, essential fatty acids (EPA/DHA), magnesium, selenium, vitamin C, lycopene, pycnogenol, flavonoids

Foods containing nutrients for food allergies (avoid foods you are allergic to)

Biotin: Eggs, legumes, meats, oily fish, chicken, liver

Niacin (B3): Tuna, chicken, turkey, salmon, lamb, beef, sardines, brown rice

Riboflavin (B2): Spinach, tempeh, crimini mushrooms, eggs, asparagus, turkey

Thiamin (B1): Can be depleted with alcohol. Green peas, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, herring, crimini mushrooms, ground flaxseed, spinach

B6: Tuna, turkey, beef, chicken, salmon, sweet potato, potato, sunflower seeds, spinach

B12: B12 is found naturally only in animal products. Sardines, salmon, tuna, cod, lamb, beef, liver, chicken, fish, eggs, rainbow trout, haddock

Vitamin A: Beef liver, cod liver oil, egg, butter, milk, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, cantaloupe, mango, spinach, broccoli, kale, collard greens, butternut squash (vitamin A from plant foods needs to be converted to the active form in the body, and this may not happen with gut problems)

Vitamin C: All will be higher in vitamin C if uncooked: Bell peppers, papaya, citrus fruits, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, kiwi

Vitamin D: Salmon, herring and sardines, cod liver oil, canned light tuna (lower in mercury), oysters, egg yolk, mushrooms

Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, avocados, turnip greens, asparagus, mustard greens

Calcium: Seeds, canned salmon, sardines, beans (white, red, pinto), lentils, almonds, some leafy greens (collard, spinach, kale), broccoli, amaranth, dried figs, orange, yogurt, cheese, milk

Iron (heme iron is found in animal products and nonheme iron is found in some plant foods, nonheme iron is not as readily absorbed as heme iron): Beef, chicken liver, oysters, clams, tuna, mussels, raisins, prune juice, prunes, potato with skin, quinoa, spinach, Swiss chard, white beans, lentils, tofu, hazelnuts, cashews

Magnesium: Fatty fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel), spinach, chard, oatmeal, potatoes, black-eyed peas, brown rice, lentils, avocados, pinto beans, dark chocolate (70% and higher), nuts and seeds, legumes, tofu, buckwheat, quinoa, bananas, leafy greens

Phosphorus: Salmon, yogurt, milk, halibut, turkey, chicken, beef, lentils, almonds, cheese (mozzarella), peanuts, egg, whole-wheat bread

Selenium: Brazil nuts, tuna (yellowfin), oysters, clams, halibut, shrimp, salmon, crab, pork, beef, chicken, brown rice, sunflower seeds, milk

Zinc: Beef, lamb, pumpkin seeds, lentils, garbanzo beans, quinoa, turkey

Lycopene: Sun dried tomatoes, tomato puree, guava, watermelon, fresh tomatoes, canned tomatoes, papaya, pink grapefruit, cooked sweet peppers

Pycnogenol: Grapes, apples, cocoa, tea, nuts, some berries

Flavonoids: Rainbow assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables, green tea, black tea, white tea, nuts, dark chocolate

Animal protein (contains all essential and conditionally essential amino acids making them complete proteins) : Grass fed, pastured, free range, and wild caught organic animal products

Plant protein (not complete proteins, do not contain all essential or conditionally essential amino acids): Tofu, tempe (fermented soy, also prebiotic), lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, quinoa, chia seeds, beans

Essential fatty acids (Omega 3s/DHA and EPA): Flaxseed, eggs, fish and fish oils, marine sources (sea vegetables/seaweeds), avocado, coconut oil

Gut Support

Probiotics: Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, kimchi, and sauerkraut. Babies and kids can even have a teaspoon or so of the liquid from sauerkraut, kimchi, or other fermented vegetables.

Prebiotics: Think starchy and nonstarchy vegetables and complex carbs like chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, onions, shallots and spring onion, leeks, chickpeas, lentils, beans, bananas, grapefruit, almonds, flaxseed, bran, and oats.

Avoid High Mercury Fish

High mercury fish: Swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, marlin, orange roughy, ahi tuna, bigeye tuna, yellowfin tuna

Low mercury fish: Anchovies, catfish, flounder, hake, haddock, herring, salmon (farmed may contain PCBs, not good either), mackerel, canned light tuna, trout, whitefish, pollock, sardines, butterfish

General Recommendations

Go organic when possible for fruits and vegetables.

Go organic, pastured, free range, grass fed, wild caught, etc. for animal products.

Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day. For little ones, drink one 8 oz glass per year of age, per day.