Nickel is present in many foods and can cause allergic reactions. What can allergy sufferers eat, and what should they avoid? All allergies, whether food or contact, respond to a defect in the immune system when it cannot tolerate certain substances. In the nutritional field, the most common are those with gluten and lactose, for which it is sufficient to eliminate foods that contain these substances from one’s diet to prevent adverse reactions.
But what to do in case of nickel allergy? Doing without some foods may not be enough since this metal is also contained in dishes and utensils used to prepare meals. Since, apparently, there is no cure for this ailment, to avoid undesirable effects, it is advisable to adopt some precautions both at the table and in everyday life. Before seeing what to eat and what to avoid in case of nickel allergy, let’s find out what the problem is, how it manifests itself, and if there is a therapy to avoid the development of symptoms.
Nickel Allergy: What It Is And How It Manifests Itself
As mentioned, this is the immune reaction triggered following contact with the metal or ingestion of the sulfate when the body cannot tolerate it. Recognizing it immediately takes work. Therefore, knowing how nickel allergy manifests itself is useful for carrying out specific diagnostic tests. Among the most common symptoms are undoubtedly skin reactions such as dermatitis, redness and itching in the case of contact allergy. In contrast, systemic or food allergy manifests in gastrointestinal disorders (bloating, abdominal cramps, constipation or diarrhea, nausea). It is widespread in the whole body, including headaches, fatigue and joint pain.
Why Do You Get Fat With A Nickel Allergy?
Although not strictly related to the disorder, another symptom that can be a warning sign is weight gain. Those with a systemic allergy to nickel can experience fluctuations in body weight and gain weight. Why do you get fat with a nickel allergy? In reality, weight gain is not caused by fat gain but by fluids. The body manifests inflammation of the mucous membranes with swelling and water retention. Therefore we may acquire extra weight and size as a direct consequence. Avoiding chronic inflammation by abolishing the consumption of foods containing nickel is the best solution to restore balance in the body, eliminate fluids and recover physical shape.
Nickel Allergy: What To Eat And What To Avoid?
A nickel-free diet is the first step in regaining well-being if an allergy has been diagnosed. Since the disorder can present itself in a more or less serious form (from simple annoyance to intolerance and real allergy), it is, therefore, essential to contact a nutrition expert to define which foods should be eliminated from the diet. Nickel is contained in many foods, some unsuspected and others that do not contain it but can take it due to contamination. Therefore, it is never advisable to proceed with DIY. However, some foods contain nickel in higher concentrations than others.
What To Avoid If You Are Allergic To Nickel, Then?
Chocolate, cocoa, cashews, oats and tomatoes should be banned as they are the riskiest foods for this disorder. Then follow other foods that we can divide into categories:
- Cereals: wheat, corn, rye, buckwheat;
- Vegetables: mushrooms, onions, cabbage, lettuce;
- Fruits: plums, pears, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, kiwis, dried fruit;
- Fish: seafood, salmon, mackerel;
- Other foods: coffee, tea, yeast, wine, margarine, garlic.
Furthermore, all products sold in cans or containers containing nickel should be avoided, as they are subject to the risk of contamination. It is clear that, since metal is found in many foods, those you have to do without are many. The question then arises: what can you eat if you suffer from a nickel allergy? Fortunately, many other foods are completely free of this metal and therefore tolerated even by those with allergies. In particular, we note the following:
- egg;
- sausages without condoms;
- nickel-free fish (some species of oily fish and white fish such as cod);
- meat (whole, but it is better to prefer the white and lean one);
- milk and derivatives;
- fruits such as peaches, watermelon, melon, citrus fruits, bananas, and strawberries;
- aubergines, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, courgettes, radicchio, olives, endives;
- Rice and flour 00.
Nickel Allergy: What To Eat For Breakfast?
One of the most important questions for nickel allergy sufferers is what to eat for breakfast. With most cereals, baked goods, tea and coffee excluded, the remaining alternatives appear to be few. In reality, even those suffering from this disorder can have a rich and varied breakfast without risking their health. For a savory breakfast, you can choose fried eggs and bacon with bread or rice cakes and a piece of natural product among those permitted.
For a sweet breakfast, you can decide on rice crepes with natural product jam, squeeze, some milk and natively constructed rice cakes (without yeast). At last, to stay away from any food pollution, it is prudent to utilize utensils, plates and pots that are not made of tempered steel (subsequently made of glass, earthenware, and aluminum) and wash products of the soil with bicarbonate (to be likewise utilized as a raising specialist in desserts).
Nickel Allergy: How To Cure It?
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, there is still no cure for a nickel allergy. Therefore, all treatments aim to reduce the symptoms or avoid their appearance. Especially concerning contact allergy, the only solution is to avoid touching objects that contain nickel and therefore give up jewelry and cosmetics based on this metal. In severe cases, antihistamine or cortisone drugs can be taken.
From a systemic point of view, on the other hand, we proceed with the elimination of the offending foods and products that may have come into contact with the substance during preparation or packaging. For some subjects, then, one of the therapies that are proving successful is the hypersensitization one, which consists in eliminating foods that contain nickel (even in very small percentages) for 4-6 weeks and a subsequent phase of gradual reintegration into the diet. Through this mechanism, the body becomes less sensitive to the metal, and it is possible to significantly reduce the symptoms by following a very varied diet.
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