Allergy to flour
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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An allergy to flour emerges as an acute response of the immune system to its constituents. When developing an allergic reaction to flour from wheat or rye from the diet of an allergic, not only flour dishes, but also products containing wheat or rye protein are excluded. According to statistics, an allergy to rye flour is much less common than wheat flour. Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include abnormalities on the part of the digestive tract, respiratory system, skin. To differentiate the types of allergies and to determine the exact stimulus, special allergic tests are carried out, after which a special diet menu is made for the allergy sufferer, which does not contain any components of cereals such as wheat or rye.
Symptoms of flour allergy
Symptoms of flour allergy may manifest as a violation of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory organs (asthma, allergic rhinitis), skin rashes, eczema, in some cases an anaphylactic reaction may occur.
Increased sensitivity to gluten, which is part of the flour, can cause diarrhea, bloating, a sense of weakness. In children, the symptoms of flour allergy may also include a backlog in physical development.
Allergy to wheat flour
An allergy to wheat flour occurs as a result of an acute reaction of the body to the gluten contained in its composition. The true allergy should be distinguished gluten intolerance, resulting from irritation of villi small intestine when it gets inside. Diagnose the allergy to wheat flour can be, referring to an allergist. After conducting the necessary tests, you can accurately determine the presence of an allergic reaction and the degree of its severity. When hypersensitivity to wheat flour from the diet exclude all products that have in their composition, derivatives of wheat. In the manufacture of dough products, starch or potato or corn flour, as well as rice or oat flour, can be used as an analogue of wheat flour. 1 cup of wheat flour is approximately half a cup of potato flour, 0.9 cups of rice flour, 1, 25 cups of rye flour, a glass of corn flour and half a glass of barley flour.
Allergy to rye flour
Allergy to rye flour is much less common than wheat flour, as rye is considered one of the least allergenic cereals. To determine exactly what kind of cereal is allergic, it is necessary to conduct special allergic tests, having consulted an allergist. Symptoms of allergy to rye flour can be attacks of headache, choking, skin rashes, itching, etc. In case of an allergy to rye flour, the patient is assigned a special diet menu that does not contain rye and rye flour in its composition.
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Diagnosis of flour allergy
Diagnosis of flour allergy is carried out by the method of enzyme immunoassay, which can also determine the severity of the allergic reaction. With a true allergy, an acute reaction occurs when even an insignificant amount of irritant enters the body, while in pseudoallergic reactions the appearance of hypersensitivity depends on the amount of the allergen introduced into the body. As a diagnosis of allergy to flour, it is possible to carry out elimination tests. They are as follows: products containing flour, as well as any derivatives of wheat, are excluded from the diet for a while. Then, after the reverse introduction of this product in the diet, all the reactions that occur are evaluated, on the basis of which they make a diagnosis.
Treatment of flour allergy
Treatment of flour allergy consists primarily in the complete exclusion from the diet of products that contain wheat or any of its derivatives. Also, you should limit the use of alcoholic beverages, as some of them may contain components of wheat. Products containing genetically modified substances should also be deleted. If there is an allergic reaction to flour, you should take an antihistamine drug, and then go to an allergist for diagnostic and prescribing medications and an anti-allergic diet. With the development of flour allergy, the diet can include dishes from potatoes, meat, pechenki, you can eat fish and eggs, drink juice and tea. For the preparation of flour products, flour from corn, potatoes, oats, rice or rye should be used.
Prevention of flour allergy
Prevention of allergy to flour with hypersensitivity to any of its components is the strict observance of dietary intake, excluding the consumption of flour products, as well as products containing wheat protein. It should be borne in mind that wheat starch can be a part of medical ointments, as well as cosmetic products for skin care. As an analogue of wheat flour, you can use a single-grain, which, according to experts, does not cause allergic reactions in people who are allergic to wheat flour. Also, to replace flour from wheat, you can use flour from corn, barley, oats or rice.