You raise a fair point - nuts are used extensively on the continent and elsewhere, without as strict labelling as we have here in the UK, foreigners must be taking a fairly big risk. As you say, in France most biscuit packets aren't plastered with what traces they may contain.
Food allergy notices
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Sameer said:Are coconuts part of the nut allergy family?
Similarly to peanuts, coconuts aren't really related to the 'nut' family. I think there is such a thing as a coconut allergy, but it is a seperate issue, again, similar to peanuts. I think some people exhibit coconut and nut allergy together though.
It's not all bad though, when I fly I nearly always get bumped up or moved to a vacant area with oodles of room, as they plan to serve nuts. US airlines were the best.
Have to carry adrenaline injections around with me when I go abroad, don't bother at home, I stick to what I know I'm safe with , always have one nearby though.
Have to carry adrenaline injections around with me when I go abroad, don't bother at home, I stick to what I know I'm safe with , always have one nearby though.
How strange, in the allergy notices on something I bought today - 'contains celery, milk, wheat, gluten, soya, yeast. May contain traces of sesame seeds and nuts.'
When did celery start having to be listed? Forgive my ignorance if this is something else that large amounts of people now have an allergy to. Here is a better idea, put a warning on the pack 'Allergy advice - please check ingredients list'.
When did celery start having to be listed? Forgive my ignorance if this is something else that large amounts of people now have an allergy to. Here is a better idea, put a warning on the pack 'Allergy advice - please check ingredients list'.
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Muban said:
You would have thought so wouldn't you? Which is why I guess a lot of countries don't have allergy advice because people generally look at the ingredients for themselves and make up their own minds.
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Well, I doubt that saucisson is particularly healthy - full of saturated fat.
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Liverpool-Lad said:
Fantastic!
I never said it was healthy, but to be honest, it's not that bad at all. A few slices is much better than a pack of crisps or peanuts. Besides this is not a discussion of my diet (which is extremely healthy) but of plastering foods with allergy notices in what seems to be an over zealous way, and comparing it to that of the continent.
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We have a guy in work who eats sliced Chorizo for breakfast 
You did mention the possibility of the UK diet being so poor, hence the comment about sausage which is quite popular in those parts.
You did mention the possibility of the UK diet being so poor, hence the comment about sausage which is quite popular in those parts.
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I don't believe its completly to do with bad diet, although it may be due to the british prevalence of using flour in just about anything as its cheaper than actually using more of the stuff its replacing. I have always had quite a good diet (actually its got worse since i became intolerent as i dont eat sandwiches now i eat crisps etc.) with lots of fresh food and almost no fast/microwave foods.
I always look at the ingredients on packaging unless it does say contains wheat. What people who say just look at the ingredients need to realise is the time involved in doing that. Just think of the time it would take to look at every single ingredient on just about every item of food you buy, it would take hours, you cant even rely on not looking at items you buy regularily if you have a really bad allergy to an item as ingredients change all the time.
I always look at the ingredients on packaging unless it does say contains wheat. What people who say just look at the ingredients need to realise is the time involved in doing that. Just think of the time it would take to look at every single ingredient on just about every item of food you buy, it would take hours, you cant even rely on not looking at items you buy regularily if you have a really bad allergy to an item as ingredients change all the time.
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Liverpool-Lad said:We have a guy in work who eats sliced Chorizo for breakfast
You did mention the possibility of the UK diet being so poor, hence the comment about sausage which is quite popular in those parts.
Fair point. You do realise that saucisson is just a snack that is eaten a little bit like tapas, and not main meal
The french do have a very varied diet and IMO along with the Mediterranean eat much more healthily.I often have cold cuts in the morning, but I also have fruit as well. And my porridge
(my non french side obviously )
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Basically you have to trust your supermarkets with your life it seems. Which is an awful position to be in I feel.
A couple of friends have changed their live styles and diets, as well as moving to other countries to find their ailments have decreased in severity. Surely there must be a link?
A couple of friends have changed their live styles and diets, as well as moving to other countries to find their ailments have decreased in severity. Surely there must be a link?
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Muban said:
Do you have any allergies? You would be surprised how much time the 'allergy advice' sections save over reading the ingredients list, especially when you have to check every single product you buy and a lot of them have two dozen different ingredients printed in font size 2.
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PhilthyPhil said:
What if they miss something that not many people have... like celery for example (which I've never heard of before!) - surely then they are more liable owing to the fact that they've actually made a point of pointing out alergy information. It seems to me to be getting to the stage where allergy advice is pretty much just listing the ingredients anyway. I'm sure E-numbers have a lot to answer for...
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I guess thats a fair point. Thankfully the only ones I have to look for are milk and soya, which are always listed, so they do save me a lot of time.
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My 13yr old kid is lethally allergic to peanuts and to a lesser degree other nuts.. it is difficult when companies put a 'blanket-warning' across all their products.
Unfortunately it's inevitable that he is going to eat food and sweets that are labelled 'may contain nuts' - and so far it's all been ok.
There are companies who are now specialising in nut-free cakes and chocolates - which are especially useful for birthday parties and the like.
It would be a vast improvement if a more rigid level of nut-warnings were put into practice so one could start trusting the warning labels again.
It's scary to think how much food would be unavailable if we believed every product labelled with a 'may contain nuts' sticker.
Unfortunately it's inevitable that he is going to eat food and sweets that are labelled 'may contain nuts' - and so far it's all been ok.
There are companies who are now specialising in nut-free cakes and chocolates - which are especially useful for birthday parties and the like.
It would be a vast improvement if a more rigid level of nut-warnings were put into practice so one could start trusting the warning labels again.
It's scary to think how much food would be unavailable if we believed every product labelled with a 'may contain nuts' sticker.
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So if the labels aren't that accurate it makes it harder for people to trust them, and then people will start ignoring them (a la "boy who cried wold") and that is where the problems start. I wonder if there is a "cure" for allergies? I couldn't imagine what it would be like living with one :/
Believe it or not our bodies haven't adapted yet to bovine milk, and we shouldn't really have it as it's far too rich for our system. Nature/evolution hasn't modified our genetic code enough yet - which is why I guess there are so many allergies. As for bread/wheat, I think that has to do with the way it's processed. Processed foods are always going to contain contaminants that will not do your body any good. I guess our bodies are more susceptible to "alien" products than we realise.
It will be a sad day when our bodies start rejecting all good foods. Maybe it's a natural cycle and it's just nature's way of keeping the population in check?
Believe it or not our bodies haven't adapted yet to bovine milk, and we shouldn't really have it as it's far too rich for our system. Nature/evolution hasn't modified our genetic code enough yet - which is why I guess there are so many allergies. As for bread/wheat, I think that has to do with the way it's processed. Processed foods are always going to contain contaminants that will not do your body any good. I guess our bodies are more susceptible to "alien" products than we realise.
It will be a sad day when our bodies start rejecting all good foods. Maybe it's a natural cycle and it's just nature's way of keeping the population in check?