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Friday, April 28, 2006
Avoiding food allergies on the menu
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Everyone has their likes and dislikes when it comes to dining out. Two girlfriends can’t tolerate the sight or smell of bell peppers in anything. They are horrified! Others can’t stand the scent of cilantro and swear it smells like sweaty socks, when others crave the refreshing bite of what is also called Mexican parsley. But, what about the very serious situations when you must at all costs avoid a certain ingredient because you are allergic to it? Peanut allergies can be deadly. Seafood allergies can send you to the ER. And folks who are avoiding gluten for health reasons, are anxious to avoid any kind of wheatfoods. OK….so how do you do the detective work when reading a menu to avoid offending foods? It’s easy to say “I don’t want any strawberries on my cereal” if you’re allergic to them; but, sometimes ingredients are used in a sauce or as an extra “bonus” to the dish. I get very ill when I eat mollusks ( mussels, clams, oysters, scallops) but, I can happily eat lobster, shrimp and crab. What worries me is when crab comes with a “sauce” that might have been made with a stock of mollusk shells. Fabulous taste but disastrous medically.. at least for me. Then…..I want to know about the folks who say they’re “allergic” to certain foods..but, really aren’t. An allergy is a medically defined reaction. Some people take that to dramatic extremes….and insist they’re allergic to pink foods or frozen vegetables. Come on………….. let’s talk about it.
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