Hot coffee in the morning helps to finally wake up and cheer up before a hard day. And who would have thought that even this beloved drink by many could cause an unforeseen reaction of the body in the form of, for example, rashes, sneezing, nasal congestion and even migraines. It turns out that coffee causes allergies in the same way as many other foods.
Let's talk about why this happens, what factors contribute to this process, are there ways to get rid of the problem.
What is an allergy
Allergy is usually called a hypersensitive reaction of the body to certain types of pathogens, which are called "allergens".
In a normal state, the immune system produces antibodies to fight parasites, bacteria and harmful viruses. This is necessary to ensure the protective function. In case of malfunctions, the body begins to produce antibodies even when allergens enter it, which leads to the release of mediators (one of them is histamine). As a result, a rash and spots appear onhands, face or other parts of the body, as well as other signs of allergy, such as frequent sneezing, nasal congestion, swelling, watery eyes, redness and itching in the eyes, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and others.
The appearance of such a reaction can be triggered by the use of certain foods, chemicals, plant pollen, animal hair, contact allergens (jewelry, perfume) and so on. The most common is food allergy.
Could I be allergic to coffee?
In the modern world, many cannot even imagine their life without coffee. This drink perfectly invigorates and gives energy, and for people suffering from low blood pressure, it is a kind of panacea. However, there is an allergy to coffee, during which its use leads to unpleasant symptoms. Most often this occurs in those people who consume the drink in excessive quantities.
Let's dwell on the questions of how coffee allergy manifests itself, why it happens, are there ways to deal with such a nuisance.
Causes of coffee allergy
It's worth starting with the fact that an allergy to coffee can manifest itself in both its types: both instant and natural. In the first case, this will be due to the presence of a variety of additives and dyes in the drink. This means that the body's reaction is not to the drink as a whole, but to its individual components.
In the case of natural coffee, provoke an allergycan chlorogenic acid, which is contained in the grains. This happens due to individual intolerance of the organism.
Also there may be an adverse reaction to caffeine present in the drink in large quantities.
It is important to remember one detail: coffee allergy does not appear suddenly. This happens only if there are concomitant factors that lead to an aggravation of the situation. These include:
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- metabolic problems;
- diseases of the liver and other organs that act as filters;
- diseases of the kidneys and pancreas;
- disturbances in the immune system.
Therefore, when confirming that the allergic reaction arose precisely because of the use of coffee, it would be nice to undergo a medical examination. This will help to identify and eliminate possible problems in time. And along with them, the allergy to your favorite flavored drink will disappear.
Signs of coffee allergy
What are the specific symptoms associated with a coffee allergy? Symptoms can vary.
The main ones are exactly the same as during allergic reactions to any other product: rashes, redness and spots on the hands, face or other parts of the body, itching, hives. In addition, cough and shortness of breath, nasal congestion, repeated sneezing can be observed. There may be malfunctions in the digestive system, which will be accompanied by pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, vomiting, flatulence.
Whensevere allergy to coffee may be accompanied by chills, headaches, heart palpitations, suffocation, Quincke's edema.
Allergy Diagnosis
To confirm the diagnosis, you must contact the allergy center. In laboratory conditions, it will be possible to determine its nature and establish the fact that the body's reaction was caused precisely by food products. But it will take some time to identify the real culprits.
The first thing to do is reduce the amount of food you eat. This will help to 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 make all the products that were taken for food into it. You need to do this every day, indicating absolutely all the food.
If it has been determined that the allergy is to coffee, a final test must be carried out. To do this, a cup of drink is drunk and an antihistamine is taken. In the presence of allergies, the symptoms disappear soon and relief comes.
What else do you have to give up?
If you are allergic to natural coffee, you will have to limit the use of other products that contain chlorogenic acid. These are apples, blueberries, eggplants, barberries, sorrel, sunflower seeds, potatoes. It should be noted that chlorogenic acid itself is not a hazardous substance. Individu althe reaction of the body usually occurs as a result of excessive consumption of it in food.
Caffeine is present in greater or lesser amounts in dark ice cream, analgesics, diet pills, energy drinks, soft drinks, chocolate, Coca-Cola, 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 of green peas and beans.
In addition, meat purines and tobacco smoke, which are similar to caffeine, are banned.
Coffee allergy treatment
The first stage of treatment involves the exclusion from the diet of the allergen, in this case coffee. To quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms, a course of taking antihistamines is prescribed, and external signs in the form of a rash, skin peeling, redness are treated with special ointments and gels.
To remove allergic substances from the body, it is usually recommended to take sorbents. It will also reduce the body's reaction to hot coffee, if a person still cannot refuse it. In parallel with sorbents, it is advisable to start taking drugs that eliminate the development of dysbacteriosis.
If an allergy to coffee provoked malfunctions in the digestive system, then enzymes that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract are prescribed as symptomatic therapy.
It is important to remember that allergies cannot be cured. Therefore, the only way to avoidher further is to follow some rules.
Prevention of coffee allergies
The main and most effective way to prevent the onset of an allergy to coffee is to completely eliminate it from your diet. Although in this regard it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the organism. For example, if some people have a reaction after the first sip of the drink, then others can afford to drink one or two cups without any visible consequences. The main thing in the second case is not to overdo it, since the reaction occurs as a result of an overdose of allergens. Therefore, it is worth limiting the consumption of the drink to a minimum.
The methods of prevention can also include a complete examination of the body to detect diseases of the kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and so on. This has already been mentioned above, so we will not repeat ourselves.
One more point concerns the so-called green coffee, which contains small doses of tannins and caffeine. Despite the safety of the drink, which is stated in the advertisement, it remains prohibited for allergy sufferers. This is due to the high concentration of chlorogenic acid in it.
What can replace your favorite invigorating drink?
This question remains open for those who are used to waking up only thanks to coffee. But, as we know, nothing is irreplaceable. For example, freshly squeezed orange juice or green tea can give vivacity and energy. If you are not allergic to caffeine, you can replace it with hot chocolate.
For those who cannot refuse the taste of coffee, modern manufacturers offer a decaffeinated drink (although it is contained there, but in very small doses) or chicory root.
Another great way to finally wake up and cheer up is to take a contrast shower. Among other things, such a procedure is very useful for any person.
Despite the fact that coffee allergy is quite rare, this does not make its symptoms any less unpleasant. Therefore, it is important to recognize it in time and give up your favorite drink or replace it with something similar.
Be he althy!
