If you were to ask a good portion of the population if they were allergic to some form of food, it is likely that a lot of them would say yes. In fact, at least one out of every three people asked in surveys usually claim they have a food allergy, but the true figures are actually much slimmer. So why do people who are not really allergic to certain foods say that they are? It is not that they intentionally lie or prefer to be allergic, but they likely truly believe they have allergies thanks to some pretty prevailing misconceptions. If you think you are allergic to a certain food, it is a good idea to take a look at these surprising reasons you only think you are allergic.

1. You have had a negative reaction after eating a certain food.

Not all negative reactions from food are indicative of a true food allergy. For example, if you experience an upset stomach every time you eat cheese, it may not be that you are allergic, but you are experiencing a level of intolerance to the ingredients in cheese. Food intolerance is often misdiagnosed as an allergy, but is a completely different issue altogether. Food allergies will show up in different ways than if you are intolerant - usually in ways that are much more severe. Instead of experiencing an upset stomach, you may become violently ill or break out in hives and swell.

2. You were allergic to a certain food when you were a child.

Most people do not know that a diagnosis of a food allergy is not a lifetime thing in most cases. Children who have problems with allergies when they are small will usually outgrow the problem. For example, if you were allergic to milk when you were a baby, this is an issue that most children outgrow by the time they are 16.

3. You had an allergic reaction due to cross contamination.

A lot of people assume they are allergic to one type of food, when they have actually experienced an allergic reaction to something else entirely. For example, you may assume that you are allergic to peanuts because you once had a reaction to a peanut-butter sandwich. However, what you did not know is that the person who made the peanut butter sandwich also just prepared a fish sandwich without washing their hands. The fish could be the source of the reaction. Before assuming that you are allergic to a certain food, it is best to have tests run by your doctor.  

Food allergies can be a dangerous thing if they are not appropriately diagnosed. If you think you are allergic to something, talk openly with a doctor like Alidina Laila MD about your concerns and get an up-to-date diagnosis.