Can You Develop Allergies Later In Life?

Most people are under the impression that allergies stem from birth or early childhood, which is not the case. Developing allergies during adolescence and adulthood is possible, and dietary changes can be frustrating – especially if it means suddenly ridding some of your favourite foods.

Some of the most common food allergies are dairy, lactose and gluten, and the cause for developing allergies later in life is still unknown. Adult-onset allergies occur most often in people in their 20s and 30s, though it’s possible to develop allergies even later in life!

Let’s break down some of these often misunderstood allergies.

Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and milk products, if someone suddenly becomes lactose-intolerant it means their body is no longer producing the enzyme that helps to digest lactose.

A person with a dairy allergy is often allergic to one of two proteins found in dairy products. If someone has a dairy allergy, it means their immune system overreacts to either one or both proteins found in dairy products.

Dairy Swaps

• Swap butter for coconut oil, olive oil and nut butters

• Swap cream for coconut cream

• Swap cheese dips for hummus or avocado

• Swap cow’s milk for almond milk

Lactose Swaps

• Swap whole cow’s milk for lactose-free cow’s milk, soy milk or coconut milk

• Swap traditional yoghurt for almond milk yoghurt

• Swap ice cream for sorbet

• Swap cream for coconut cream

Some people are sensitive to gluten, and although a sensitivity to gluten shares many symptoms with celiac disease, they’re not the same thing.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that can be life threatening, whereas being gluten intolerant just presents uncomfortable systems.

Gluten Intolerant Swaps

• Swap wheat pasta for rice or quinoa pasta

• Swap white or wholemeal flour for buckwheat flour or rice flour

• Swap wraps and tortillas for rice paper rolls or lettuce leaves

Try our no-bun Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps or our Mushroom Bun Steak Sanga where we get creative with veggies. 

Allergies don’t discriminate! You can develop an allergy or sensitivity to certain foods at any age. This rings true for hay fever, insect allergies and more! Developing an allergy later in life can certainly be annoying but it doesn’t mean the end of a tasty diet. Simple food swaps can do wonders.

If you think you’ve developed an allergy or food sensitivity issue, contact your health care provider to ensure you’re eating the right foods.