If you have food allergies or food intolerance, of course your diet is restricted making it very difficult in some cases to get the proper nutrition needed to grow, and just function in general. For those of us with multiple food allergies, it is concerning about whether it is possible to get adequate nutrition.

1. Allergic to Grains?  Healthy Alternatives

• Grains, especially whole grains, are an important source of carbohydrates, which your body uses for energy. Many also are rich in B vitamins. Many people are allergic to particular grains, including (most commonly) wheat, corn, and barley.

Wheat (GLUTEN):  Is one of the 8 common food allergens. Luckily there are great substitutes on the market for almost any wheat-based food.  Most supermarkets carry gluten-free pasta, cereal, and bread. And any foods that are labeled gluten-free are safe for barley allergies as well.

Corn: Is the one grain that is the most difficult food allergy to live with.  Not only is corn itself a very common grain (think: corn chips, polenta, tortillas, and grits), it's also extremely common as an ingredient in processed foods.

Corn syrup, dextrose, and xanthan gum are but a few of the ubiquitous ingredients derived from corn. This is only a partial list of foods made from corn.

These alternative grains can help you get a variety to your diet: Amaranth, quinoa, and teff, you might try millet, sorghum, rice, and  cassava. 

Below is an awesome Corn FREE baking powder

2. Allergic to Certain Fruits and Vegetable?  Healthy Alternatives Ahead

Fruits and Vegetable are vital sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The most common allergenic fruits and vegetables include onions, celery, tomatoes, garlic, apples, melons, and citrus.

Luckily fruits and vegetables are not common “hidden ingredients” in  processed foods.

The biggest difficulty people have that are allergic to vegetables is an allergy to aromatic vegetables — onions, garlic, celery, or similar vegetables that are used to add flavor to soups or other cooked foods. These vegetables appear in countless recipes and are found in many processed foods.

Although there are particular vitamins and minerals in certain fruits and vegetables that you may be allergic to, eating the fruits and veggies that you are NOT allergic to can help fill the nutrient gap made by the ones that make your throat itch.

3. Allergic to Dairy?  Healthy Alternatives Coming Up:

• How many times were you told when you were little that you needed to “drink milk to make your bones strong?” Probably every single one of us at least once.   A dairy allergy is a result of your body being super sensitive to the protein in cow’s milk. Healthy Alternatives are:

• Milk Alternatives:  Coconut, Almond, Cashew, Hemp, and Flax milks are commonly sold in supermarkets.
• Cheese Alternatives:  Almond Cheese, Diaya cheese, So Delicious Cheese, Cashew cheese-  It is common for dairy free cheese to have soy in it so ALWAYS  READ LABELS!
• Cream Alternative: Coconut milk in a can or this extra thick coconut cream is a good alternative to dairy cream.  It can be whipped and substituted for cream in recipes.
• Butter Alternatives:  Good Earth Butter Substitute, Coconut butter, Dairy Free margarine, shortening, healthy cooking or baking oils.
• Ice Cream Alternatives: coconut milk ice cream (So Delicious Brand), Rice Milk ice cream, Cashew Milk ice cream, Almond Milk ice cream.

• Luckily we live in a time where a lot of these products and alternatives are easily available at your local supermarket and if not, there is always ordering off the the internet, which can be super helpful if your buying alternatives to the foods you are allergic to.