Food allergies are common problems that are usually difficult to diagnose. And by allergies we also refer to food intolerances.
In this post, we discuss salicylate intolerance, also known as salicylate sensitivity. Salicylates are certainly a type of substance that can cause health conditions. The sources of salicylate allergy aren’t fully understood but may include dermal or airborne contact with salicylates. Finally, only individuals who have a solid sensitivity to salicylates should stick to a low-salicylate diet.
What are Salicylates?
Salicylates are often chemical derivatives of salicylic acid. They’re found in some foods and may be synthesized in products like toothpaste, aspirin, and also preservatives. There are natural and artificial effects, some people experience both.
What are the sources of salicylates?
Salicylates have been in the food and medicine industry for a while now and can be found naturally occurring in food items. While salicylates might be found in many common foods, they’re also common in some nonfoods, like toothpaste and a few medicines.
Why some people are sensitive to salicylates?
Individuals suffering from salicylates usually have some difficulty with removing these substances from the body. Sometimes these are digestive diseases of some kind. This can be a problem since salicylic acid can cause drowsiness, nausea, and headaches. Additionally, in some individuals, these symptoms can occur in the presence of other allergies, making diagnosis hard. A lot of people are not resistant to them and may experience adverse reactions if exposed to them.
There’s a range of symptoms that can come from having an allergic reaction to these substances, so it can be hard to figure out which one you have. The quantity of salicylates that causes a reaction varies with the person’s ability to metabolize them.
What is causing salicylate allergy?
The cause of salicylate allergy is unknown but may be related to the chemical’s ability to trigger an immune response. Although high levels of salicylates may cause side effects for many people, you can eat all the food you want to that has synthetic-based pollutants and take a couple of aspirin for your headache. People with a salicylate allergy may have an allergic reaction to it, so if you’re one of them be mindful if you eat or use anything that contains this ingredient. Fruits, vegetables, and spices are the most common meals, although they can also be discovered in other foods.
An increase in leukotrienes is what is believed to be causing a hypersensitivity to salicylates.Leukotrienes are inflammatory mediators associated with various diseases. These include asthma, arthritis and inflammatory cardiovascular disease. This excess production is due to inhibition of the enzyme COX (cyclooxygenase), which is responsible for leukotrienes production. Salicylate intolerance symptoms may be a result of increased leukotriene levels in the body. It is unknown what percentage of people with asthma has salicylate intolerance. However, it is much more common in adults.
It is believed that more than 20% of adults with asthma have a sensitivity to these intolerance initiating elements. Some people with food preferences and inflammatory bowel disease might also get intolerances to certain foods. People with a salicylate intolerance cannot eat some foods, even if they’re in small amounts.
You could also be at risk if you eat foods high in these compounds. Salicylates are chemicals found in foods, medicines, and other products.
Salicylates Sensitivity Symptoms (External signs of a salicylate allergy)
People who are allergic to salicylates can experience a variety of symptoms that can mimic allergies and infections. This species is found in many different foods, including fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea, nuts and spices. The aspirin and Pepto-Bismol you use every day have something in common – the bacteria. Medications like aspirin often contain high levels of salicylates, making people more prone to salicylate tolerance. Eating salicylic acid, which is found in natural foods, generally puts you at a daily intake of 10-200 milligrams. For comparison, the dosage of aspirin can vary from 325 to 650 mg.
The primary symptoms affect the respiratory system. However, your skin and digestive system may be affected too.
Some of the symptoms are:
- Nasal congestion sinus infection & sinus polyps
- pain and/or swelling
- asthma
- intestinal diarrhea
- colitis (inflammation)
- swelling of tissues
Which foods consist of salicylates?
Many foods contain chemicals that can cause salicylism (Salicylate poisoning). Different foods have different levels of salicylic acid – this amount can be influenced by various factors such as the type of crop, growing conditions, the way the food is prepared, and the actual preparation. Dried fruits generally contain much more than dried fruit because the water is removed during processing.
Those who are sensitive to salicylates also needs to pay attention to the ingredients in these products. Vegetables: Spinach, broccoli, alfalfa sprouts, cucumber, okra, chicory, raisins, radishes, squash, watercress, yams, artichokes, eggplant, and beans. Spices are combinations of herbs, spices, and spice blends that add flavor to food. Spices include anise, cayenne, curry, dill, mustard, cloves, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, tarragon, oregano, turmeric, chili, thyme, and rosemary. This is not a complete list, as there are many more food sources of these compounds.
Fruits that contain salicylic acid include: cranberries, plums, oranges, guavas, cherries, blueberries, apricots, grapes, raisins, plums, tangerines, pineapples, and strawberries.
Additional sources are: Tea, rum, wine, nutrition, vinegar, wheat, mint, almonds, blue chestnut, honey, licorice, jam, gum, pickles, olives, food coloring, aloe, chips and crackers, and sweet fruit flavors.
Since intolerances tend to end up being associated with ingestion of several foods that contain these substances, limiting foods which contain many of them is the best solution.
To avoid salicylate allergies, avoid consuming foods that contain these chemical substances. Along with food, they can also be found in many non-edible products such as perfume, toothpaste, shampoo, mouthwash, conditioner, bath cream and medicine.
Salicylate Tolerance Tests
There’s no laboratory test for this diagnosis, but you can do some other tests to rule out allergies
Currently, there is absolutely no lab test to this issue. However, some tests can help rule out allergy symptoms.
The standard test for salicylate tolerance is exposure or stimulation, in which small amounts of salicylic acid are ingested and monitored for symptoms.
People with salicylate intolerance may have trouble tolerating salicylic acid, a typical compound in many items. This test is performed by healthcare professionals as it could cause serious side effects if not performedproperly.
Salicylate Containing Medicines
It seems like aspirin is the most powerful choice of pain relief.If you’re prone to headaches, it’s advisable to avoid aspirin and other medications with salicylates in them, like certain cough syrups. However, if you’re allergic to aspirin along with other salicylate-containing medicines, that doesn’t have to mean you need to stop eating high-salicylate foods. In fact, drugs like aspirin have a significant dose of salicylates.For headaches, it’s best to use ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
However, everyone can experience headaches differently, so you should let your doctor know the details of what you’re feeling. Consequently, some people can be very sensitive to these chemicals and will start feeling the effects once they are exposed. Others can tolerate amounts that would cause a reaction in other people. If you have an allergic reaction to salicylic acid, it can cause a range of symptoms like congestion, asthma, diarrhea and redness. You may already know that safety is a difficult task as signs and symptoms can show differently in each man or woman.
Is it better to avoid salicylates?
There is no need to avoid salicylates if you are healthy. There is little research on low-salicylate diet plans, so their long-term effects are unknown. Coping methods may differ widely depending on your specific situation. The bottom line is that food allergy symptoms and intolerances are frequent problems that are difficult to identify.
Nevertheless, some people are very salicylate-sensitive, meaning they could benefit from a reduced diet. A complete health background, which includes dietary records and symptoms, is the greatest tool for determining dietary salicylate tolerance. If an intolerance is suspected, it could make sense to eliminate foods containing salicylate from your own diet. Normally it takes a lot of self-discipline. In terms of salicylates, the most typical diagnosis of food intolerance could be proper recording and tracking of food and associated symptoms, carried out beneath the supervision of your physician. For those with severe sensitivity to nutritional salicylates, a restricted salicylate-free diet may be required.
Unless you think you’re allergic to salicylates or your doctor has advised against it, there’s no reason to avoid consumption. A low-salicylate diet can prevent the issues and is desirable. Plants producesalicylates to safeguard themselves from pests this kind of as insects, fungi and disease. In fact, salicylic acid offers anti-inflammatory properties. It’s always important to eat a diet rich in antioxidants to stay healthy. Foods full of these include berries, dark chocolate, and walnuts. Recent studies have shown that it can also lower your chances of getting an inflammatory disease like cancer of the colon. In case you are allergic to salicylates you may experience a number of symptoms including rash, hives, difficulty breathing and in addition anaphylactic shock. These plants contain many powerful minerals, botanicals, and vitamins.
If you notice the symptoms after eating foods saturated in salicylate, you should avoid them. However, in case you have a condition, you should consult your physician before taking salicylates. In a study, seventy-four kids were placed on a low-salicylate diet and identified as having malnutrition. A low-salicylate diet should only be followed under medical supervision.
Fruits, vegetables, and natural medicines give the body what it needs like antioxidants or other healthy nutrients.These compounds are beneficial to our health and should be get rid of from the diet plan only when in specific cases. Although many people are more comfortable with these food elements, some are really sensitive. Salicylates are found in lots of foods and in many medicines, along with other non-edible products.Individuals with this sensitivity should avoid medications, foods, and other sources of salicylates.
Although some cases of salicylate intolerance have already been reported, the long-term results of a low-salicylate diet haven’t been elucidated. Salicylates are usually found in many foods and products, so avoiding them completely is difficult. You might be suffering from salicylate intolerance but it is difficult to tell because there are so many signs and symptoms. Different treatments may be necessary, depending on your individual condition.
Probably everyone knows someone who is allergic to aspirin. To find out if you might be allergic to salicylates, just talk to your doctor and get it checked out.
Information courtesy of Dr. Tomaya Weiser (Dr. of Chinese Medicine) from the website Allergyfield
