Wheat allergy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wheat allergy is a type of food allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from wheat, causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms for millions of people in the United States.[1]. It occurs in children and adults. It is usually treated with an exclusion diet and vigilant avoidance of foods that may be contaminated with wheat. The most severe food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis[2] and is an emergency situation requiring immediate attention and treatment with Epinephrine. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that most children outgrow wheat allergy, but some people remain allergic for a lifetime[3].
Wheat allergy may be confused with Coeliac disease, which is an inability to tolerate the gluten in wheat, but is not an allergic reaction.
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[edit] Wheat Alternatives
Spelt and kamut are grains closely related to common wheat, and are not usually a suitable substitute for people with wheat allergy or coeliac disease. However, they are sometimes used as alternative grains for sufferers of wheat intolerance and mild gluten intolerance . [4]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ National Institutes of Health, NIAID Allergy Statistics 2005 http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/allergystat.htm
- ^ National Report of the Expert Panel on Food Allergy Research, NIH-NIAID 2003 http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/organization/dait/PDF/june30_2003.pdf
- ^ “Wheat Allergy Facts” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=9&sub=20&cont=519
- ^ Peter D'Adamo. TYPEbase 4 Blood Type Diet Value: SPELT. Retrieved on February 6, 2006.
