- Symptoms of Chocolate Allergy
- Symptoms of Chocolate Intolerance
- Allergy Treatment
- How to replace chocolate
The chocolate allergy is not actually related to the candy itself, but to some of the ingredients that are present in chocolate, such as milk, cocoa, peanuts, soybeans, nuts, eggs, essences and preservatives.
In most cases, the ingredient that causes the most allergy is milk, and it is necessary to observe whether the person also feels the symptoms of the allergy when consuming the milk itself and its derivatives, such as yogurt and cheese.
Symptoms of Chocolate Allergy
Allergy symptoms are usually itchy, red skin, shortness of breath, coughing, bloating, gas, low blood pressure and headache. Respiratory symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, sneezing and wheezing may also appear.
In the presence of these symptoms, especially in babies, one should seek an allergist doctor to do allergy tests and thus find out which food causes the allergy.
Symptoms of Chocolate Intolerance
Unlike allergies, chocolate intolerance is less severe and causes minor and more transient symptoms, such as stomach pain, abdominal bloating, excessive gas, vomiting and diarrhea.
It is a reflection of poor digestion of some ingredient in chocolate, and is also linked mainly to cow's milk. See more about the differences between allergy and intolerance.
Allergy Treatment
Allergy treatment is prescribed by an allergist and varies according to the symptoms and the severity of the problem. In general, medicines such as antihistamines, corticosteroids and decongestants are used, such as Allegra and Loratadine.
In addition, it is also necessary to exclude all foods that cause allergy to prevent further attacks. See all the remedies that are used to treat allergies.
How to replace chocolate
The replacement of chocolate will depend on the ingredient that causes the allergy. So, people with allergies to peanuts or nuts, for example, should avoid chocolates that have these ingredients in their composition.
For cases of allergy to cocoa, you can use chocolates made from carob, which is a natural substitute for cocoa, while for cases of allergy to milk, you should use chocolates made without milk or with vegetable milks, such as milk soy, coconut or almonds, for example.
