If you do, make sure to read your food labels.
All FDA-regulated manufactured food products that contain a “major food allergen” are required by law to be listed on product labels.
Common allergens include milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, and soy.
If, like me, you suffer from some of these allergies, consider these tips:
• Avoid foods that contain peanuts or any of these: artificial nuts, beer nuts, cold pressed, expeller pressed or extruded peanut oils, goobers, ground nuts, mixed nuts, monkey nuts, nut pieces, nut meat, peanut butter, peanut flour, peanut protein hydrolysate.
• Peanuts can be found in: African and Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese. They can also be in pastries and cookies, chili, egg rolls, enchilada sauce, marzipan, mole sauce and nougat.
• Mandelonas are peanuts soaked in almond flavoring.
• The FDA exempts highly-refined peanut oil from being listed as an allergen.
• Studies have shown possibility of a cross-reaction with peanuts and lupine – a plant in the pea family.
• Arachis oil is another name for peanut oil.
• Sunflower seeds are often proceessed on equipment shared with peanuts.
• Soy nut butter or sunflower seed butter equipment is often shared with tree nuts and peanuts.
As always, check with your physician before making changes to your diet.
Next week: Can essential oils help improve your focus?