Food Additive Allergy

शीतमारुतसंस्पर्शात्प्रदूष्टौकफमारुतौ।
पित्तेनसहसंभूयबहिरन्तविसर्पत:॥ (मा.नि.५॰/१) ॥

Food Additive Allergy

Estimates are that 2000 to 20,000 agents are added to the food and pharmaceuticals that we consume. These include preservatives, stabilizers, conditioners, thickeners, colorings, flavorings, sweeteners, and antioxidants. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Food additives as “substances added to food to maintain or improve its safety, freshness, taste, texture, or appearance”Food additives include the following groups:

Food dyes and colourings (such as tartrazine, annatto, and carmine)
Antioxidants (such as BHA and BHT)
Emulsifiers and stabilizers (such as gums and lecithin)
Flavourings and taste enhancers (such as MSG, spices, and sweeteners)
Preservatives (such as benzoates, nitrites, and acids)

Food hypersensitivity is defined as an adverse reaction to food or a food additive and can be mediated by two different mechanisms: immunologic and non-immunologic. Immunologic reactions are divided into 3 groups: IgE-mediated (allergic reactions), non-IgE mediated (cell-mediated) or both. On the contrary, non-immunologic reactions do not involve the immune system and they are also defined “food intolerances”.

In Ayurveda, symptoms of this allergic condition can be correlated with the disease entities such as Sheetapitta, Udarda and Kotha. Various etiologicalfactors like asaatmya ahara (uncongenial/allergenic food), viruddha ahara (incompatible food combinations), dushi visha (poisonous/allergic in nature) etc; plays a major role in causation of these conditions Food additives can be included under either virudha, dushivisha or Asatmya ahara depending upon the patient. Various forms of urticaria, angioedema etc allergicconditions can be correlatedwith Sheetapitta, Udarda and Kotha. Sheetapitta and Udarda bothare used synonymously but with a slight difference. Sheetapitta isa vata predominat conditionwhereas Udarda is kapha predominant.

Dr. Gupta’s IAFA provides efficient treatment for Food Additive allergy through a very thorough approach by assessing the specific condition of the patient.

Causes of Food Additive Allergy

Food allergy is actually more often caused by the food itself.The most common preservatives in food causing adverse reactions are sulfites, benzoates and antioxidants. They can do so via irritant and allergic mechanisms of immune system

Ayurvedic reference of Food Additive Allergy

Symptoms of Food Additive Allergy

The spectrum of clinicalmanifestations is variegated. Most of the studies investigated adverse reactions to food in adult population and little is known about these manifestations in children.

Food additives can be responsible of the onset of new symptoms, ranging from mild manifestations (i.e. flushing or rhinorrhoea) to life-threatening situations (i.e. anaphylaxis), or can be the cause of worsening pre-existent diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (AD).

Reports of reactions to food additives have included the following:

Skin reactions:
Urticaria (hives)
Angioedema
Atopic dermatitis
Sweating
Itching
Flushing
Gastrointestinalreactions

Abdominal pain
Nausea/vomiting
Diarrhea
Respiratory reactions:
Asthma symptoms
Cough
Rhinitis
Anaphylaxis

“Dr. Gupta’s IAFA is committed to bring in a change through Ayurveda in the way people perceive health care. Institute of Applied Food Allergy® ensures that we take care of all your health needs”.

Your Health. Our Mission!!! Reach Dr. Gupta’s IAFA

– Dr. Sahil Gupta (B.A.M.S., M.H.A.)

Ayurvedic Allergy Specialist
CEO & Founder of IAFA®

Diet in Food Additive Allergy

Do’s (Pathya) in Food Additive Allergy

Avoid consuming any food additives, which you know will cause problems for you.
Read ingredient lists on all food labels carefully.
Be sure you know the different ways an additive is named. (For example, BHA in place of butylated hydroxyanisole).
Find out whether there are other additives, which are in the same “family” or similar to the additives you cannot use. Avoid these as well.

Don’ts (Apathya) in Food Additive Allergy

Avoid foods which are Guru (Heavy to digest), excess Spicy and Sour.
Dugdhajanya Aahar (Dairy Products).
Madya (Alcohol).
Sheet Jala pana (Cold Water).
Virudha Aahar (Wrong Food Combinations)

Yoga Therapy for Food Additive Allergy

Yoga therapy is extremely beneficial to treat Food and Additive allergy since there is an underlying psychological component in many of the diseases. Yogasanas and pranayama are more beneficial to the patients.

Postures include,

Surya Namaskara
Halasana
Matsyasana
Trikonasana
Bhujangasana

Pranayama,

Bhastrika

Ayurvedic Treatment for Food Additive Allergy

Acharya Chakradutta has clearly and systematically described the Shamana Chikitsa of Sheetapitta giving considerable importance to Doshagati (transit of doshas). He has advised that the individuals suffering from Sheetapitta can be given either Sheeta or Ushna aahara and Paniyas with due consideration to Doshagati. Acharya Bhavaprakasha has described Sodhana(Purificatory), Shamana(Palliative)and Bahi Parimarjana Chikitsa (External therapies) in Sheetapitta.

Internal Medicines for Food Additive Allergy

Avipathy choornam
Tikthakam ghritam
Haridrakhandam
Indukantham ghritam
Triphala guggulu
Guduchyadi kashayam

Patolakaturohinyadi kashayam
Navakarshika Guggulu
Trikatu with Sharkara
Yavani with Vyosha andYavakshara
Aardraka Rasa with Purana Guda

External Therapies for Urticaria

Abhyanga (oleation) with Kshara, lavana, taila
Parisheka with Ushnambu (hot water)
Lepa (anoinment) with Durva and Nishi

Purificatory Therapies for Urticaria

Vamana
Virechana(Specialtreatment/ Vishesha Chikitsa)

Single herbs used in Food Additive Allergy as per Ayurveda

Katuki (Picrorhiza kurroa)
Nishotah (Operculina turpethum)
Amrita (Tinospora cordifolia)

Triphala (Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica)
Haridra (Curcuma longa)
Nimba (Azadirachta indica)

Article Written By: Dr. Sahil Gupta (B.A.M.S., M.H.A.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What isFood Additive Allergy?

Answer: Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavour or enhance its taste, appearance, or other qualities. These can produce adverse reactions in our body, making us allergic to those group of additives.

Question: What are the causes of Food Additive Allergy?

Answer: The cause of this allergy depends on the type of the additive which includes Tartazine, Carmine, Benzoates, Antioxidants etc.

Question: What is the Ayurvedic treatment for Food Additive Allergy?

Answer: Ayurvedic management depends on the severity of the symptoms and both purificatory and palliative treatment can be chosen depending upon the condition of the patient.