Living with a food allergy can be highly challenging. Reactions to food allergens range from mild to life threatening, so for many people it’s essential to avoid certain foods. The number of children with food allergies is rapidly increasing, putting pressure on parents to be extra careful with the foods they buy and cook. This means that shopping for groceries can take more time, especially with so many exciting food products on the market. Being Food Allergy Awareness Week, we’re providing a few tips on how to shop for allergies next time you’re at Kunara…
1. Check Warning Statements
Fortunately, in Australia we have laws that protect those with food allergies. Product packaging must state if they contain any of the nine most common allergens; being peanuts, tree nuts, cow’s milk, egg, fish, shellfish, sesame, soy and cereals containing gluten. Make sure you continually check these statements in case they change over time.
2. Read the Ingredients
As much as we’d love to live in a perfect world, mistakes do happen. Sometimes warning statements can be incorrect, wreaking havoc for those with allergies. It’s well worth reading the ingredients list, on top of checking warning statements, just to be sure it’s free of the allergen. This can also be helpful to choose healthier products – see our ‘de-coding food labels’ blog post.
3. Speak to our Qualified Naturopaths
If you’re unsure about a product, let our friendly Naturopaths assist you. They are in-store to answer your questions and can provide advice on whether products are suitable for your dietary needs. They may also be able to recommend new products suitable for food allergies.
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