More than 15 million people in the United States suffer from food allergies. Among them are 6 million children.
In order to avoid these risks, it’s important to immediately recognize the ingredient that caused your allergic reaction. In general, these allergies have no cure and the only way to live with them is to eliminate the ingredient completely.
Here are some facts:
- Allergies have been reported in about 170 foods, but the most common are: peanuts, nuts, milk and all its derivatives, eggs, soy, wheat (rice, pasta, bread), sesame, fish and crustaceans (lobster, crab, shrimp, oysters, clams, shrimp).
- Every 3 minutes an allergy case is attended in an emergency room in the country.
- Read the labels, pay attention to the table of nutritional value of the product. The ingredients appear in order, according to the amount they contain. This is a requirement of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).
- Intolerance to milk and flour are not allergy problems. Processed flours and dairy products cause the most intolerances, but an allergy can be a risk to your life. If you are intolerant, look for alternatives of better milk quality, milk substitutes and in the case of bread and flour in general, look for those coming from Europe, from countries such as France, Italy or Spain.
- Most allergies arise in childhood, but 15% start as adults. Always have a medication in your wallet that can help you in an emergency.
- You should cook more at home, but if you suffer from allergies, it becomes an extreme necessity. It’s the only way to prevent an allergy and ensure the quality of what you eat. Remember that when a product is forced to make it “free” of an ingredient, many times artificial ingredients are added and harmful to your health. Read well.
- The most fatal allergies arise when eating out of the house and 25% of cases happen in schools. This is why schools and some children’s amusement parks have eliminated high-risk ingredients from their food offerings.
- Conditions such as asthma, sugar intolerances and diabetes are common in people with allergies and vice versa.
I had the immense honor of cooking at Orlando’s Disney World, where I had fun with more than 3,000 children at the Children with Diabetes Convention and I designed a recipe for them that reminds you of a “Strawberry Cheese Cake” but it is a lollipop, with fresh fruit, sugar-free, gluten-free and nut-free.
Lollipop Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe
20 portions, 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 20 fresh strawberries, med
- 6 oz. Of Greek yogurt, 2% low in fat.
- 4 oz cream cheese, 2% low fat.
- 1 1/2 tbsp. of honey or agave honey.
- 1-2 oz Graham Cracker, gluten-free and nut-free.
- Wooden sticks.
Directions:
- In a deep bowl, combine yogurt, cheese, honey and mix well. You can use fork or mixer.
- Wash the strawberries, dry them with a paper towel.
- Insert the wooden stick in each cutter upside down.
- Cover each strawberry with the cream (with a spoon or pastry bag).
Then, using your fingers, cover it with a pinch of Graham Crackers and enjoy!
Doreen Colondres is a celebrity chef. Author of the book The Kitchen Doesn’t Bite. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram @DoreenColondres and visit www.LaCocinaNoMuerde.com , www.TheKitchenDoesntBite.com or buy her book on Amazon or iTunes.