Peanuts have become a mainstay in our diets the world over. No matter what dish you make, no matter what snack you prepare, the possibility of it having a nut content is huge. It follows thus that a vigilant eye must be kept on the labels provided on any and all products to ensure that the wrong item doesn’t appear in your meals or snacks. Of all adults that have an allergy to nuts, half of them are also allergic to nuts of different varieties as well. Most children too who suffer from peanut allergies are likewise affected. A wide number of people the world over have allergies to a large variety of nuts of which pistachio nuts, hazelnuts, and pine nuts , walnuts and cashews find their place.
Health professionals are forced to concede that the wide spread usage of nuts and nut by products throughout the world creates a huge problem in identifying those foods that are nut protein free versus the products that aren’t. More so, the products available for children for the use of snacks and meal alternatives bodes just as difficult, however, alternatives are available. One just has to be vigilant and know where to look. To begin, foods that you should try to avoid are those that have the following: peanut flour, cold pressed, expelled or expressed peanut oil, peanut butter, mixed nuts, and peanuts. Until recently though, coconuts haven’t been considered in restricting nuts from the diet of those afflicted with allergies to nuts, but as recent as October of 2006, the FDA has declared the coconut to be a form of tree nut and therefore in consideration for potential allergy effects for those with the allergy. Consultation with your physician or allergist will either confirm or deny your aversion to it. Those are the obvious products, but other less obvious products could contain the various by products of peanut protein. These include:
*nougat,
*African, Thai, Chinese and or various other diverse enthic food recipes and products,
*hydrolyzed vegetable proteins,
*candy,
*chocolate,
*baked products,
*ice creams such as tofutti or frozen yogurt,
*crackers,
*spaghetti sauces and chilli,
*egg rolls,
*hydrolyzed plant protein.
There are alternatives of course to having peanut spreads, a few of which are listed below for your consideration, however, you should be aware of the total of your allergies before trying any of them just to be sure that you haven’t got an allergy to the alternatives either.
*Cream cheese spreads. While this is loaded with dairy and may be a source of allergen for those who are allergic to diary, it is a great alternative to peanut spreads and for those who haven’t got an allergy to dairy.
*hummus, which is largely found as an appetizer in Middle Eastern cuisine,
*vegetable purées
*whole berry cranberry sauce,
*bean dips,
*salad dressings,
*Butters like Sunflower and soy, which are excellent alternatives to spreads for children with an aversion to peanuts.
*finally, try varying nut butters but remember, this is a variety of nut butter that is for children that have been identified as having an allergy specifically to peanuts.
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