Food allergies are one of the most unpleasant pathologies caused by allergens. If you can protect yourself from contact irritants, then food allergens can penetrate the body unnoticed, in the composition of various products. Allergy to coffee is so insidious, because caffeine is found in many sweets, snacks, and drinks. The world's population consumes about 2 billion cups of different types of coffee every day, without even thinking about the consequences of its excessive consumption.
Whether coffee is actually an allergen or not, whether there is hypersensitivity to this drink, how an allergy to products containing caffeine usually manifests itself, and how it can be dealt with is worth learning more about.
Can you be allergic to coffee: grain and instant?
There are two common forms of coffee – bean and instant. The first is more natural and expensive, while the second is subject to special processing, easy to prepare and cheaper.
It is useful to know whether there is an allergy to tea?
Composition of coffee beans
Raw coffee beans contain hundreds of active chemical elements, including:
- caffeine, trigonelline and chlorogenic acid, responsible for aroma;
- water;
- protein;
- mineral salts;
- cellulose;
- coffee oil.
Where does the allergen in coffee come from: answer
Of all the abundance of substances, caffeine itself, as well as chlorogenic acid, can cause an allergic reaction.
In addition to the elements contained in coffee beans, instant coffee (especially powdered coffee) contains a large amount of food and chemical impurities. Due to impurities, quality decreases, and besides, they are contraindicated for allergy sufferers.
What else will you have to give up?
If you are allergic to natural coffee, you will have to limit the consumption of other products that contain chlorogenic acid. These are apples, blueberries, eggplants, barberries, sorrel, sunflower seeds, potatoes. It is worth considering that chlorogenic acid itself is not a dangerous substance. An individual reaction of the body usually occurs as a result of excessive consumption of it.
Caffeine is present in greater or lesser quantities in dark ice cream, analgesics, diet pills, energy drinks, soft cocktails, chocolate, Coca-Cola, and cocoa.
It is also important to consider that there is a relationship between two types of allergies: coffee and legumes. Therefore, the latter should be abandoned at least for the duration of treatment. This is especially true for green peas and beans.
In addition, meat purines and tobacco smoke, the composition of which is similar to caffeine, are prohibited.
Causes of coffee allergies
An allergic reaction to coffee, like to any other food product, occurs when the following factors are present:
#1 Heredity
If parents are allergic, there is a high probability that the child will pass on the tendency to allergies. There is a pattern: when both parents in a family are sick, the allergy will definitely manifest itself in the children; if there is only one allergy sufferer, the chance is 50 to 50 percent.
#2 Weak immunity
If the immune system is weakened, it is susceptible to foreign substances, also called allergens, that are toxic to the human body.
#3 Gastrointestinal diseases
Diseases of the digestive tract and pathology of the pancreas. In the presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammation of its mucous membrane occurs, caused by toxic substances.
#4 Dyes and additives
The body's protective reaction to chemical and unnatural additives. This factor occurs in relation to instant coffee, which often contains a high content of various harmful impurities.
#5 Abuse
Allergies can appear unexpectedly if you drink too much.
Provoking factors
It is useful for drink lovers to learn not only how an allergy manifests itself after drinking coffee, but also what factors can trigger it. This will determine whether a person is at risk. Persons who have:
- hereditary predisposition (food hypersensitivity inherited from allergic parents);
- immunity weakened by disease;
- functional disorders of the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys;
- diseases of the immune or endocrine systems.
Absolutely healthy people can also become intolerant to coffee if they drink it in excessive doses. Constant and excessive consumption of drinks containing caffeine is one of the main factors in the development of caffeine intolerance.
Features of coffee intolerance
Symptoms of a coffee allergy may occur in an adult who is intolerant to chlorogenic acid or caffeine when consuming other products that contain these ingredients. This condition is called cross allergy. To combat it, you will have to give up a number of products that contain caffeine or chlorogenic acid:
- from any products containing cocoa beans;
- cola, tea and energy drinks;
- sunflower seeds;
- potatoes and eggplant;
- blueberries and barberries;
- green beans;
- sorrel.
In addition to plant products, you will have to reduce your consumption of certain types of meat. Due to the structural similarity of caffeine to purines, red meat (beef, veal, lamb, duck) becomes especially dangerous.
A “coffee” allergy sufferer often has an increased sensitivity to analgesics (painkillers) and weight loss medications; caution must also be exercised with them.
Instant coffee: the benefits and harms of a simple solution
Nicotine is a common cause of hypersensitivity to caffeine. In some patients who quit smoking, the coffee allergy disappeared without drug intervention.
If the basis of coffee hypersensitivity is tannin intolerance, foods such as persimmons, pomegranates, cinnamon, cloves and red wine will also cause an allergic reaction.
When choosing substitutes for drinks containing caffeine, you should keep in mind that any plants may be allergens for a susceptible organism. Therefore, you should start drinking drinks based on chicory and other herbal ingredients in small portions.
Interesting! Many coffee lovers believe that milk will help alleviate an allergic reaction to caffeine, but this opinion is wrong; milk does not reduce the allergenicity of the product.
The most common allergens
Products that most often cause food allergies:
- eggs;
- nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, etc.);
- fish;
- citrus fruits (oranges, tangerines, etc.);
- berries (strawberries, wild strawberries, etc.);
- chocolate;
- milk;
- legumes (soybeans, beans, peas, etc.).
- nutritional supplements.
Allergens found in some foods may be similar to pollen allergens. This is called cross allergy. For example, wormwood pollen is a cross-allergen for peppers, carrots, mustard, bananas, and citrus fruits. This means that a patient with hay fever may also have food allergies.
Manifestations of allergic reactions: first symptoms
Symptoms of a coffee allergy are:
- Rashes that are accompanied by itching, rash, peeling and redness on the face and hands, as well as other areas of the skin.
- Urticaria, which appears as itchy blisters on the skin, similar to a nettle burn.
- Inflammation of the respiratory organs and eyes, characterized by swelling of the mucous membranes with excessive accumulation of fluid in them, and as a result – runny nose, lacrimation, sore throat and coughing attacks.
If you abuse instant coffee, the signs of an allergy will be: indigestion with severe abdominal pain, nausea, chills, in addition migraine, rapid pulse.
In some cases, complications are possible in the form of increased body temperature and Quincke's edema in the larynx: this causes suffocation, similar to asthma attacks. This attack requires immediate medical intervention.
Possible complications
The danger is that this condition gradually worsens if no measures are taken over time:
1. First, against the background of sensitization, the body develops dermatitis.
2. Then the respiratory system is damaged in the form of atopic rhinitis.
3. If the antigen is not excluded, then bronchial asthma manifests itself.
The most dangerous complication is anaphylactic shock. It develops rapidly – 1-3 minutes after contact with the antigen. It is characterized by bronchospasm, laryngeal edema and collapse, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.
How to recognize the disease
The first signs of a coffee allergy do not clearly indicate the presence of this disease.
Coffee lovers may be concerned about:
- sneezing, coughing, or shortness of breath;
- skin rash (urticaria), hyperemia (redness), itching;
- hiccups, upset stomach, gas formation.
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Other symptoms in adults are severe chills, frequent headaches, rapid heartbeat, asthma attacks, swelling (for example, angioedema).
Children and teenagers are not allergic to coffee for the simple reason that they should not drink this drink. Usually parents strictly ensure that their child does not violate this prohibition.
What types of coffee are there?
Allergy to ground coffee
The human body reacts differently to ground and instant coffee. This is due to the different composition of the product. Drinks made from ground grains cause a more severe allergic reaction.
Its excessive consumption can lead to the following symptoms:
- skin problems (peeling, redness, especially near the nose, lips; the appearance of blisters);
- swelling;
- abdominal pain;
- stomach upset.
Subsequently, the body may have a negative reaction even to the smell of coffee: nausea, vomiting, dizziness or a severe runny nose.
Coffee allergy on face
Allergy to powdered coffee
The caffeine content in a soluble (granulated, powdered) drink is higher than in a ground drink, despite the fact that it consists of only 15% natural ingredients.
Everything else is food additives and flavorings that prevent caffeine from being eliminated from the body.
Regular consumption of instant tonic drink may cause:
- abdominal pain;
- vomiting;
- stomach upset.
There are known cases where powdered coffee caused Quincke's edema. Replacing it with a caffeine-free or green drink will not help the situation.
In the first case, instead of an allergy to coffee, urolithiasis may appear. In the second, there is a risk of further harm to health, since the concentration of chlorogenic acid in green coffee is 10 times higher.
Quincke's edema due to coffee allergy
Who is susceptible to allergies: adults or children (newborns and infants)
Allergic reactions occur in both adults and children. It is easier for the older generation to identify the allergen and exclude it from the diet, while the parents are responsible and decide for the child. Although in both cases you can make a mistake, so in any unclear situations it is better to resort to medical help.
Giving brewed or instant coffee to children under 14-15 years of age is not recommended and is even considered dangerous, as it can lead to overstimulation of the nervous system and heart rhythm disturbances; moreover, caffeine tends to leach calcium from the bones. Of course, almost none of the parents will give a small child strong coffee, but caffeine is also found in chocolate and cocoa, which children are so fond of pampering - there are also allergies to these sweets.
Prevention measures
Complete recovery is possible only with early identification of factors and their exclusion from the diet. By following nutritional recommendations, relapses of the disease can be prevented. Some children experience spontaneous recovery as oral tolerance increases. Many people “outgrow” the disease, but you shouldn’t count on it.
Diagnosis of allergies
To confirm the diagnosis, you must contact an allergy center. In laboratory conditions, it will be possible to determine its nature and establish the fact that the body’s reaction was caused specifically by food products. But it will take some time to identify the real culprits.
The first thing you need to do is reduce the number of foods you eat. This will help identify the cause of the allergy as soon as possible. Employees who work in an organization such as an allergy center are advised to start keeping a food diary. It is necessary to include all the foods that were eaten. This must be done every day, indicating absolutely all food.
If it is determined that the allergy that has arisen is to coffee, it is necessary to conduct a final test. To do this, drink a cup of drink and take an antihistamine. If you have an allergy, the symptoms will soon disappear and your condition will improve.
It is important to know!
- Thanks to comprehensive treatment of food allergies, rapid recovery occurs;
- in the future, the patient should avoid foods that cause an allergic reaction;
- if your child has a food allergy, be sure to notify the preschool or school staff about this, and, if possible, document this fact;
- make sure your child wears a special allergy bracelet;
- If your child has previously had an acute allergic reaction, you should always have a first aid kit with an antihistamine and epinephrine (adrenaline). At the first sign of an acute reaction, it is necessary to give the child these medications and call an ambulance.
Be healthy!
MYTH: Breastfeeding and pregnant mothers are not allowed to drink coffee.
For a very long time it was believed that drinking coffee by pregnant and lactating women was strictly prohibited, but now such a ban is being applied less and less, and there are reasons for this. If the mother takes a small amount of caffeine within normal limits, nothing bad will happen, provided that the baby does not have individual intolerance.
Sometimes it may seem that a baby’s cough, rash and abdominal pain are a common cold; not many people think about allergies. Allergic reactions differ from infectious reactions in that they do not go away for a long time and recur after a while.
Allergy symptoms in young children
After a baby ingests breast milk or comes into contact with an allergen, he or she experiences the following symptoms:
- Cough, difficulty breathing and runny nose.
- Eye inflammation, conjunctivitis and redness.
- Rash on the cheeks and body, peeling skin, diaper rash and itching.
With mother's milk, the baby receives a small dose of caffeine, which is eliminated from the baby's body in one or a couple of days. Therefore, you can drink coffee once every three days or every few days if the baby does not have any signs of allergies.
Recommendations for breastfeeding
A few general rules for drinking coffee by a nursing mother:
- Do not overuse coffee.
- Observe the baby's reaction, as an allergic reaction or excessive agitation is possible.
- Any foods or drinks that contain caffeine should be taken into account when calculating your daily intake.
- It is better to drink coffee either in the first half of the day or a few hours before feeding.
A few words about our smaller brothers
It turns out that animals also suffer from food allergens. For example, food allergies in cats occur regardless of gender, breed and age. The main signs are itchy skin, hair loss, scratching on the skin.
Most often, food allergies in cats occur to soy, gluten, seafood, beef, dairy products, and lamb.
In its manifestations, food allergies in purebred dogs are no different from food allergies in dogs – “ mongrels”:
- itching, pimples on the scalp, abdomen, paws;
- discharge from the eyes, nose, ears.
But let's go back to the representatives of the species Homo Sapiens, or, more simply, to people.
How is the disease diagnosed?
Not many people know how a coffee allergy manifests itself. But you have a rapid heartbeat, severe chills, migraine (signs of a severe form of the disease), you should not self-medicate.
First of all, it is necessary to understand what caused the appearance of such symptoms. Caffeine intolerance can only be determined after certain diagnostic procedures are performed.
At home, it is recommended to first describe how you feel after eating a particular product. You can conduct an experiment: drink a cup of coffee and, if you feel unwell, drink, for example, activated carbon (per 10 kg of body weight - 1 tablet; for example, if the patient weighs 70 kg, he needs to drink 7 tablets).
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If it feels better, it means that the same tonic drink is causing an allergy. The next step is to exclude from your daily diet a product that is an allergen and causes you to feel unwell. Still, it is better to seek help from an allergist.
He will prescribe the following diagnostic procedures:
- skin test;
- hair analysis;
- blood analysis;
- bioenergy diagnostics.
We will tell you in detail what these procedures are.
Caffeine intolerance
Skin test to detect coffee allergy
To diagnose the disease, a small amount of allergen is injected under the skin. If the patient does have caffeine intolerance, allergy symptoms will appear almost immediately.
You can fight the allergen using the method of enzymatic desensitization (it allows you to reduce the body’s sensitivity to the specified substance). This method helps even when others are ineffective.
Skin test to detect coffee allergy
Hair analysis to detect allergies
In order to detect an allergy to an invigorating drink, a specialist takes the patient’s hair and adds antibodies. Then, under a microscope or using a computer examination, he monitors what will happen next.
If there is a reaction, there is also an allergy to coffee.
Hair analysis to detect coffee allergy
Blood analysis
This process is quite complex. It is based on identifying competition between special antibodies and the patient's own antibodies.
In order to detect an allergy to coffee, a specialist mixes blood serum with a laboratory solution and places it in a special apparatus.
If an allergic reaction occurs, the device will detect a glowing dye that will join the blood serum.
Blood test to detect coffee allergy
Bioenergy technique
To carry out this procedure, special bioresonance computers are used. They record changes in the electromagnetic field in the human body that occur as a reaction to allergens in food.
The patient is connected to this computer, a weak electromagnetic field is created, and the device records the processes occurring.
Bioenergetic technique for identifying allergens
Diagnostics
ICD 10 code – T78.1. In order to determine whether a person is allergic to instant coffee or coffee beans, it is worth consulting a doctor - an allergist. The doctor, after a detailed interview with the patient and collecting an anamnesis, will prescribe the necessary tests to make a diagnosis.
Skin testing
This can be a general blood and stool test to determine the patient’s health status, a blood test for general and specific immunoglobulin E, a blood test to identify possible parasites, skin tests, gastroscopy (EGD), etc.
