Anybody else living with garlic allergy?

I know of no cure or treatment. Doctors have recommended to me that I just go back to eating garlic. They say I will have severe reactions at first, but then my body will adapt and the reactions will become more moderate. I'm not sure that enzymes help, but I take them on occasion.

 

I notice that I have different reactions depending on what form of garlic I eat. I haven't intentionally eaten garlic in years, so this is hard to test, but once I accidentally ingested cooked garlic cloves and had a catatonic response. I slept for 6 hours, packed into a tiny mini-bus driving a narrow, treacherous highway in the mountains of Nepal. How anybody could manage to sleep on that bumpy ride is beyond me, but I was out cold. I don't even remember arriving in Kathmandu and taking a taxi to my hotel. Thank goodness my husband was there to help me!

 

With other forms of garlic, i.e. garlic juice, garlic powder, garlic salt, I tend to notice more stomach pain, nauseau and diarrhea. Thankfully, I don't have any reaction with other plants in the lily family, like onions, celery, & shallots.

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I have had an allergy to Garlic since I was about thirteen. I can eat it in small doses but when I eat too much of it, my tongue actually swells up,(I have a tongue ring and it actually acts as a gauge for how swollen my tongue will get) and I get a rash along my wrists and my mouth. It can also give me bad indigestion and make me vomit/or have to use the bathroom frequently. I have tried moderating myself with adding more Garlic, and it only serves to make me sicker. What other methods did your doctor tell you?

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The best treatment for a food allergy is to completely avoid the food you are allergic to. One doctor did recommend that I try Benadryl when I'm having a reaction, but Benadryl contains a milk derivative that I am allergic to. Whenever I find myself in the middle of a reaction, the best treatment for me is to go to sleep for a few hours.

 

I would be careful with your allergy, however, since your tongue swells up. Reactions can increase in severity without warning and you could find your throat closing up someday. I would not continue to eat garlic, even in small amounts.

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I suggest avoiding pre-made pizza altogether and making your own. All pre-packaged tomato sauce contains "natural flavors," which is garlic, and any kind of meat, especially sausage or pepperoni will have garlic in it. For me, the problem with pizza is two-fold since I'm also allergic to milk. I make my own pizza at home with pre-made pizza crust from Papa Murphy's. Since they won't sell just the crust, I have them put on some mushrooms, tomatoes and onions, and then at home I add my own sauce (homemade), soy cheese, basil, oregano and ground beef. 
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Must Read!!! I'm CURED

egg burps,,,,,,and garlic problems

is caused by my antacid meds side effects,

if you take antacid meds ask your dr

if you can change them im now taking Zantac 300mg

and i can eat all the garlic I want

 no  more egg burps IM NOT A DR BUT IT WORK FOR

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The best way to be sure of your food allergies is to get a RAST test. Some will debate the reliability of the test as it is possible to get false positives. The test is not usually covered by insurance since a lower-cost (and less reliable and more inconvenient) test is available (skin ***** and avoidance tests). I had the test about 6 years ago and paid $400. It might be cheaper now. 

 

You can try an avoidance test at home on your own, but it is really hard since garlic is present in so many foods. You'd really have to eat nothing but plain rice and steamed veggies for a week to get cleared out. Then hit yourself with some garlic and see what happens. If you find yourself in the middle of a huge reaction, Benadryl may help. You can also go to the ER if things get really bad and get a Benadryl shot, which may or may not work and will knock you out for half a day. Either way, I've found the best treatment for an allergic reaction to garlic is to sleep it off. 

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This all sounds familiar. When I was about 30 years old I noticed that certain dinners would repeat on me the next day. My stomach would feel distended, I'd get sharp abdominal pains that would stop me mid-sentence, flatulence of the sort you can't control long enough to vacate your office or room, and diarrhea. When my colleague, who shared an office with me, said one day, "can you smell rubbish?" I knew something had to be done!

 

I started eliminating foods and discovered garlic was the culprit. I can't eat it in its natural form - raw or cooked, in paste, crushed in a jar, as flakes, oil or extract. A couple of years ago, I ate garlic-laden pizza in London before I really knew it was a problem for me. I set out the next day on a European bus tour. And spent the first lunch stop in the toilet with explosive results...and caused the tour to run late on day one, with everybody staring out the window at the girl who'd lit up the ladies restroom a treat.

 

I have a similar reaction with onions, although not as bad.

 

It can be a pain to eat out with friends, however one of us is a fussy vegetarian, another dislikes seafood and I can't eat garlic, so at least two of us have a chat to waiters and waitresses everywhere we go.

 

I cook with peppers, chilli, mild Tabasco sauce, ground coriander seeds, loads of other herbs and spices that give things a new zing and don't upset my insides.

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I would love to hear what restaurant food (specific dishes, which restaurants) and food products you consider safe. I have a hell of a time eating out. When you tell a chef not to season something, you usually wind up with something so totally bland you'd rather eat cardboard! I'm also allergic to dairy which makes things even more difficult since they can't use butter or cream either. I usually request fish, chicken or steak grilled with salt and pepper. I also get steamed vegetables and a salad (no croutons) with olive oil and vinegar for dressing. The Outback is great for this type of meal.

 

I would never consider going to an Italian or Mexican restaurant. I once got sick from eating at the Spaghetti Factory even after the staff insisted they washed the pan with soap and hot water before preparing my food. I think the pan (or perhaps some other cooking utensil) had absorbed garlic from previous meals and transferred to my food. I got sick once at a party after I ate cantaloupe from an unglazed pottery dish. I asked the host about it later and she told me she had used the dish for garlic dip the day before. I thought the cantaloupe tasted a little funny, but I didn't think anything of it. It had absorbed the garlic from the ceramic dish.

 

I go to Subway about 3x per week for lunch. Subway's website provides a complete list of all their ingredients. I ask for the light mayo rather than the regular mayo as the regular mayo has "natural flavors" in it. Since I'm allergic to dairy, I can't get any of the sliced meats (I'm allergic to the dairy preservatives). I get the plain chicken strips on wheat bread, toasted with onion sauce and onions. All other sauces contain garlic or dairy. I avoid pickles, peppers, peppercinis, and olives as well, and get lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers. That sandwich is the only semi-healthy thing I can eat out and it has been a lifesaver over the years. I also love plain SunChips. All other flavors have garlic. 

 

If I'm in a jam, I'll get a hamburger and fries. Of course, I can't get anything else on the hamburger but lettuce, tomato and onion, so it's totally dry and boring. If I can take it home, I'll put some Organic Mayo from Trader Joe's and Annie's Organic Ketchup on it. 

 

I think one reason your reactions get more severe over time is that your body has cleared out the allergen and healed. When I was eating garlic all the time, I wasn't even aware I was allergic to it. I had low-grade symptoms for years and was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, GERD and Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I wasn't satisfied with those diagnoses and requested more tests, which is how I found out about all my food allergies. About a month after I stopped eating garlic, I was at a party and was enjoying some tasty dip when I realized it was garlic dip. I had completely forgotten what garlic tasted like and thought I was eating horseradish. I have never been sicker!!

 

We should make a list of "safe" foods. Sometimes the only way to find out if the natural flavoring used in a food contains garlic is to test it. One day, I was so totally desperate to eat something (I had been out running and was totally crashing from lack of fuel), I ate some of my husband's Oberto Beef Jerky. Even though the label says it contains "flavors," I am pretty confident it doesn't contain garlic because I didn't get sick and I eat it all the time now. 

 

I keep a little "black book" of all the foods I have researched not to contain garlic or dairy. Here are my notes: 

 

- Annie's BBQ sauce - garlic-free

- Basiltops garlic-free pesto - garlic-free

- Foster Farms frozen ground turkey contains garlic 

- Boboli - all have garlic 

- Guiltless Gourmet Chips - White Corn Chips, Red Corn Chips, Blue Corn Chips, Chili Verdi Chips, Yellow Corn Chips, Potato Crisps Sea Salt - garlic-free

- Frito Lay - company states garlic will always be a listed ingredient on the label if the product contains garlic; garlic will never be listed as spices or natural flavors

-  Hidden Valley - all products contain garlic

- Maggi Ketchup is garlic-free (I haven't been able to find it, though)

- Lipton cup-a-soup - all have garlic

- Lean Cuisine - I have the following frozen meals on my list to test, but I never got around to testing them and some have dairy anyway: Chicken Fettucini, Fettucini Alfredo, Macaroni & Cheese, Penne Pasta with Tomato Basil Sauce, Roasted Potatoes with Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Baked Lemon Pepper Fish, Honey Mustard Chicken, Roasted Turkey Breast, Oven Roasted Beef, Roasted Turkey & Vegetables

- Libby's - German Potato Salad has garlic, 3-bean and 4-bean Salad has garlic 

- Mt. Olive Pickles are garlic-free, although I've never been able to find them

- Newman's Own Peach, Mango & Pineapple Salsa is garlic-free

- New Covenant Food Company - the following soups/sauces are garlic-free but contain dairy - Butternut Squash & Nutmeg Sauce; Smoked Haddock Chowder; Broccoli & Stilton Soup, Parsnip & Bramley Apple Soup; Plum Tomato & Creme Fraiche Soup; Spinach & Nutmeg Soup; Pea & Ham Soup; Beef & Vegetable Soup; Butternut Squash, Apricot & Ginger Soup; NCG Vegetable Soup

- Pawdaddy's Miss'ppi Magic Seasonings is garlic-free

- Ragu - all products contain garlic

- movie popcorn either in a theater or microwaveable - butter flavoring contains garlic 

 

Well, that's it. Pretty sad, isn't it? I have to advise that the ingredient lists on food products are always subject to change, so you should check the label each and every time you buy it. Also, some of the products listed above may have changed their formulations, or may be untested so I can't be sure that they are garlic-free. I think garlic is so widely used because it is a food preservative. I also find it interesting that some cultures don't cook with garlic but when their foods migrate to the U.S., they add garlic (Japanese food is a perfect example of this) to accommodate to American tastes.

 

Please add to this list!!! 

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I can't believe how many other people have this allergy! And yet, almost every prepared product out there contains garlic--it's crazy. I too would like a "I Hate Garlic" t-shirt. : ) Anyway, as for restaurants and prepared food, it's always a risk. Even if they say something will have no garlic, you can't be sure that a cook doesn't use the same spoon, spatula, pan, whatever, as for something that did have garlic, and it only takes a tiny bit to set off symptoms (for most of us). So, if you are willing to take the risk, my experience is that small local places are more willing to accommodate than chains, but there are always exceptions. IHOP has been good, and if you like breakfast food, it's usually a safe bet. Just watch out for seasoned hash browns or home fries. California Pizza Kitchen does a Margharita pizza, no tomato sauce, that is garlic free. You can even buy it in the supermarket. In a Chinese restaurant, steamed entrees are an option (no seasonings) -- bland, yes, but soy sauce can help. Fast food is actually pretty easy, if you're not vegetarian: At Wendy's, McDonalds and Burger King you can get plain burgers and fries, grilled chicken, etc.

 

As for packaged foods, it's really better to avoid them, and as has already been pointed out, you have to always read labels because companies can change ingredients without warning! In general, the simpler the better, if you are going to buy any convenience foods. Unseasoned snack foods like Lay's potato chips, plain Ruffles, plain Fritos or plain pretzels are fine. Canned beans and canned or frozen vegetables are generally safe. If you can eat dairy, Totino's Cheese Pizza's are garlic free, as well as Ore-Ida Bagel Bites in the three-cheese flavor. Plain bagels with plain cream cheese are an option. Plain Spagetti-Os, suprisingly, don't have garlic. Annie's salad dressings are great, and there are several varieties without garlic -- honey-mustard and shitake-mushroom are my favorites. For pasta sauce, there are some expensive (but delicious) varieties that don't have garlic, such as Coppola's--check labels at places like Whole Foods. Heinz ketchup is safe, as well as some natural versions. And Grey Poupon mustard is one of my favorite ways to spice up bland food.

 

I hope this helps! Good luck, all.

 

I am still fantasizing about a cure. Anybody ever tried the homeopathic remedy for garlic? I wonder if that would help. 

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A lot of those things that you listed have "spices" in them which typically does have garlic in it. I would call those companies and double check before eating them.
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"Natural flavorings," too. 

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Heinz ketchup is not safe! 

 

I had been getting sick and could not figure out why, so we called the company.  After getting lots of attitude about everything being "top secret," my mom was finally able to talk to the supervisor.  The supervisor told her that yes, garlic is in the ketchup and it is their *secret ingredient.* 

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Oh, and I forgot... Annie's Organic Ketchup is safe.  I callled to make sure, and everything that is in the product is on the label (for a change!).  You can find it at Health food stores, like Better Health and Nutrition or Whole Foods, or buy it online (I think!) at www.annies.com. 

 

I'm looking for a BBQ sauce that doesn't have garlic in it... does anyone know of one? 

 

FYI- Kraft BBQ sauce does not have garlic labeled, but a call to the company confirmed that there "may or may not" be garlic in the sauce.  The "Natural flavorings" and "spices" that they use vary from batch to batch-- and may contain garlic.

 

 

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Thank you for this tip! At one time, Heinz ketchup did not contain garlic -- or at least, so I was told. Part of what makes this so difficult is that companies change their recipes/ingredients whenever they feel like it. So products we consider safe may suddenly not be -- and the only way might be from a reaction! "Natural flavorings" may or may not contain garlic oil, and I think the company doesn't even necessarily know what's in it.

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Shivani, I wasn't trying to be rude when I put in big, bold print that Heinz ketchup is not safe.  I hope it didn't come across that way.  It came as a surprise to me that the ketchup has garlic, and I wanted others to know, too!  I have been mysteriously getting sick after having a burger and things that I really thought were safe, and lo and behold it's the ketchup.  I would believe that at one time it didn't have garlic; or maybe not every single batch does.  A lot of these companies are inconsistent with what they put in their products.  Who knows... but I know I won't be eating Heinz ketchup anymore. 

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While we're on the subject of condiments, add mayonnaise to your unsafe list. Best Foods contains natural flavors, as do many other popular brands. Japanese mayonnaise (the kind used to mix crab rolls in sushi restaurants) does not usually contain natural flavors, which you can see if you visit an Asian grocery store that carries traditional Japanese mayo from Japan. My safe brand of mayonnaise is Trader Joe's Organic Mayonnaise.

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I agree -- people should definitely know this! At home I use Annie's ketchup, not Heinz, and as far as I know Annie's is garlic-free. But just because I have never gotten sick from it (or Heinz), that doesn't mean someone else might not. We all have varying levels of sensitivty, and it's great for the most sensitive among us to share our reactions. Regardless of what it says on the label (or not), or what the company tells us, our best guide is always going to be our own reaction. I have been able to smell garlic distinctly in foods that I have been promised do not have garlic in them--so I just don't eat those foods! Unfortunately, it isn't always possible for me to sniff out the garlic in a food, if it's a very small amount. And it's always easier to notice it with hot foods, since the heat carries the aroma, I guess.

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I love garlic.. but it just doesn't love me.. and yes you can ask them to leave it out... at any restaurant.. i also am allergic to dairy.. and tomato pastes.. and many many other food allergies..some i can tolerate.. garlic i cannot and dairy i cannot and they both have the same effect.. you do get sick of taking the pills and now i just avoid the foods that bother me.. it only takes about 5 min for my body to tell me that their is garlic or dairy in my food.. some it's longer.. headache.. cramps and the unmentionable , my son also suffers from the same allergy to dairy and my daughter is fine with dairy and cannot digest onions. or garlic it's no fun being afraid to eat out.. but.. most places are fairly good to you if you ask them nicely without seeming too picky.. i've never had a problem anywhere i have dined (not yet anyway) i just figure if i get caught in the ladies room on a fine night out.. i'll tell them either leave or get a gas mask.. lol... c'est la vi!

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Laurie, which variety of Annie's BBQ sauce does not contain garlic?  The other day I was at the health food store to get my ketchup, and I looked at the Annie's BBQ sauce and the only variety they had contained garlic. 

 

Thanks for your informative postings-- and that goes out to everyone else out there, too.  It has been helpful to know what other foods others have found that are "safe."  It is also helpful to know that others share the same problem, although I'd never wish it on anyone. 

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I'm not sure about Annie's BBQ sauce anymore. I put it in my little red book about 3 years ago after researching ingredients on the internet. Maybe they changed their formula. I've never actually bought or eaten it. 

 

I've been eating out a lot lately, socially. The other night I went to Gordon Biersch (a brewery in the Seattle area - I'm not sure if they have them all over the country). I ordered my usual - hamburger, no cheese, no mayo, no ketchup, no pickles with plain fries, lettuce, tomato and onions. It was the best burger I've ever had, and I eat a lot of burgers, not really by choice but because it's the easiest thing to order. By the way, you should always ask if the burger patty has garlic mixed into it. A lot of restaurants buy frozen burger patties which may or may not come pre-seasoned. I wish they made a travel-sized Annie's ketchup. It would be nice to tuck in my purse when eating out. 

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Hi, 

My daughter has sever food allergies, garlic being one of them. Do any of you have any suggestions for a garlic substitute? We cook almost all of her meals at home and are looking for some alternative to garlic that still gives her dishes a similar flavor.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Heather

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I like cooking with dried onions. They are pungent and flavorful, probably like garlic.

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thank you Laurie, 

do you find these dried onions at the market? if so, what brand do you suggest? if not, how do you prepare them?

 

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I buy dried onions in bulk from Costco. I use them in everything, especially guacamole. I believe you can buy dried onions in most grocery stores in the bulk section.

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Turkey Burgers also have garlic!  So do Boca Burgers.  The pre-made turkey burgers you can buy that may not have it (you will have to check with Jennie-O), are the BLUE LABEL Jennie-O Turkey Burgers.  READ THE PACKAGES, OBVIOUSLY.  I buy mine at Smart & Final and I seem to do just fine.  The Red package specifically states:  "Seasoned" and on the back it lists garlic as an ingredient.  The blue one says, "Spices" - which usually contains garlic, but I thought I'd try it out since they went to the trouble of listing garlic on their red labels, I figured they would've also listed it on the blue label if it was in there.

Double check with them before you eat it, though.

 

 

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Me also. I used to eat a lot of garlic but in 1976 I became seriously alergic to garlic. If I smell it I have to run away very quickly or I stop breathing. It is like a nerve gas. I dare not eat out as I live on the border of France an Spain and everything has garlic in it. If, by accident I eat a little cooked in a curry where I can't taste it, exactly 11 hours later, the top of my head comes off and I suffer a blinding headache, vomiting and nausea. This condition the lasts for 12 hours at least. I would give my left leg for something that could protect me from this allergy.

Someone should advise TV chefs not to throw loads of garlik into their menues. 

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      I'm so grateful to have found someone else in the same boat.  Just the presence of garlic in the air causes swelling of my tongue, lips and throat, massive  headaches like I've been hit by a baseball bat, hives the size of saucers and lymphedema.  I carry epi-pens at all times. 

     My question is how are you able to travel at all?  The thought of travel in anything but my own car strikes terror into my heart.  How might I travel by plane, train or boat under these circumstances? Any help would be appreciated.

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Travel is a tough one if just the smell of garlic sets off symptoms. Even though you can order a special meal on airlines (I have had success with requesting "bland" meal), that won't help if you're seated next to someone eating the pasta with pesto! Definitely carry your epi-pen, plus a prescription anti-histamine, if you have one. Or just get Benedryl if that works for you.

 

I always try to bring meals with me when I travel, even if it's just a sandwich or two and safe snacks. Don't hesitate to tell people about your allergy, and usually they are helpful and understanding. If you are going to a motel, try to get one with kitchenette, so you can keep and prepare some safe foods, which you've packed with you. I won't pretend any of this is easy, but I think it is possible to travel -- at least by car -- if you plan ahead and pack well.

 

I have traveled a great deal, all over the world, and if I am planning to go somewhere where I don't speak the language, I have always made a point of learning the words for "garlic" and "allergy" in the native tongue, before I even worry about how to say "hello." Seriously! It helps.

 

Good luck!

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Me also. I used to eat a lot of garlic but in 1976 I became seriously alergic to garlic. If I smell it I have to run away very quickly or I stop breathing. It is like a nerve gas. I dare not eat out as I live on the border of France an Spain and everything has garlic in it. If, by accident I eat a little cooked in a curry where I can't taste it, exactly 11 hours later, the top of my head comes off and I suffer a blinding headache, vomiting and nausea. This condition the lasts for 12 hours at least. I would give my left leg for something that could protect me from this allergy.

Someone should advise TV chefs not to throw loads of garlik into their menues.

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Me also. I used to eat a lot of garlic but in 1976 I became seriously alergic to garlic. If I smell it I have to run away very quickly or I stop breathing. It is like a nerve gas. I dare not eat out as I live on the border of France an Spain and everything has garlic in it. If, by accident I eat a little cooked in a curry where I can't taste it, exactly 11 hours later, the top of my head comes off and I suffer a blinding headache, vomiting and nausea. This condition the lasts for 12 hours at least. I would give my left leg for something that could protect me from this allergy.

Someone should advise TV chefs not to throw loads of garlik into their menues. 

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Must Read!!! I'm CURED

egg burps,,,,,,and garlic problems

is caused by my antacid meds side effects,

if you take antacid meds ask your dr

if you can change them im now taking Zantac 300mg

and i can eat all the garlic I want

 no  more egg burps IM NOT A DR BUT IT WORK FOR ME

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It's great to be able to compare notes with people who suffer problems with garlic, after searching around for ages. I really can't understand why it needs to be in nearly every prepared savoury product on the market, and included in nearly every restaurant main course. It may be good for some people, but it can't be natural to have one ingredient included in most of the food that a person consumes.

 

My problem has been ongoing for 23 years now, although I spent many years continually getting sick and not knowing why before I found the cause. 

 

Once I discovered what was making me ill I stopped having garlic (and onions) in my food, and my family are used to that now.

 

My reaction is a severe headache, upset stomach which gets worse and worse and then I start vomiting and this continues for at least 24 hours.

 

Eating out is no fun. I always feel embarrassed at having to go through the menu with a fine tooth comb, and generally end up with something plain so that I'm comfortable that I will not get ill. The reaction of most people is "garlic is good for you, why wouldn't you want to eat it?"

 

Does anyone also react to other foods, like onions, dried fruits, white wine etc?

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I agree about the web site. I suggested that to a friend of mine and she said yeah... it would get two hits, one from her and one from me, to see if anyone checked it out...sigh.  There is no respect for people who can't eat garlic. Garlic eaters really don't believe that we are allergic they think that we just 'don't like it' and that 'a little bit won't hurt'.  I feel like a high maintenance princess when I go to restaurants and half the time the servers and chefs don't really know if garlic is in what they are serving.  As soon as I put food on my tongue, I get a reaction if there is garlic in it and I know that I'm going to have problems and yes, feeling the need to sleep and am distracted by the fact that I am having these symptoms, all the gastro ones previously described by others and itchy skin.

Garlic Haters Unite!

I too have started a list of non-garlic, seemingly safe products but I'm Canadian so they may not be applicable.(I didn't know about the 'spices' issue until I read your posts, now I have to be even more careful-- I thought I was safe if it wasn't listed on the label)... and so it goes...what's worse, is that I don't cook, I suppose I will have to learn.

Vel

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where about's in Canada do you live? im in Victoria and i have found some items without garlic, Bicks pickles now make garlic free ones! no more Campbell Soups i phoned them because i tried eating a can i managed to eat three bites before extreme stomach aches and wanting to be sick kicked in and i turned green then deathly white in front of my co-worker.so i phoned the company and they said never to eat there stuff again, if any label says "spices" dont eat it!!! they say the food will have a 99% chance of containing garlic. i too can not be in the same room when garlic is being cooked up in a pan, i then have problems with breathing. there is one store in Coombs which sells a salad dressing by the company Consorzio and it is Strawberry and Balasmatic Vingear fat free and its so good, im trying to get Thrifty Foods to start carrying it but no answer yet.  but i agree with the others posting messages on here we do need to start getting companys to state on their labels if there is ANY garlic in their products.nice to see others are in the same boat as me.
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I live in Ottawa and will try to find the salad dressing you recommended.  I have discovered that Kraft Signature Raspberry Vinaigrette doesn't bother me.  I can't say for sure that there is no garlic in it as it has natural and artificial flavourings. 

 

I carry Gas-X with me at all times-- I find it really helps with the gastro symptoms, at least.  I don't have a strong histamine reaction at this point but Benadryl may be in my future.

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i haven't tried Gas-X i probably should, but i also have to carry a epi-pen because i will stop breathing if i ingest for sure and just smelling it when frying in a pan makes my chest tighten and shorten my breath. quite scary. it sucks.
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I am Canadian and also have an intolerance to garlic.  I have no anaphylactic symptoms, but suffer from headaches, bloating, cramps and diarrhea almost instantly after eating garlic.  After some research I discovered I have an intolerance to garlic (may be the case if you have intestinal symptoms only) because I lack the enzyme to process the garlic oil (much like someone without lactase can not process lactose, or milk sugar).  If garlic is cooked, the heat/processing removes some of the oil and my reaction is less severe, but still there.  I don't react to garlic powder so I can eat most processed ketchups and salad dressings (Kraft Raspberry Vinaigrette is one of my favourites).  Apparently about 10% of the population lacks the enzyme to process garlic oil.  My father, brother and niece all suffer from the same problem leading me to believe there is a strong genetic component.  I do eat out a fair amount and always tell the wait staff about my allergy. I was at a luncheon at a golf course yesterday and the menu was a pasta bar (YIKES). Fortunately I had phoned ahead and the chef broiled me a chicken breast in a separate pan and made a separate salad.  I often use balsamic vinegar and oil and mix it at the table for a salad dressing that is safe.  I have resorted to eating off the kids menu in some places. My food of choice when eating out is salmon as it is one of the few items that is hardly ever seasoned with garlic.  Although we went to the Milestones restaurant chain last week and they didn't  have one thing on the menu (even the salmon was marinated in a garlic containing brine) without garlic, other than dessert of course.  I ended up having a cup of tea while the rest of my family ate dinner.  I wrote them a letter when I got home! Hope some of this helps. Mo

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Ditto, I look about 6 months prego and intense pain, etc. The garlic salt seldom bothers me but everthing else does.  No probs with onions. All started about 20 years ago. I'm now 40, and still trying to eat out occassionally.  I swear they'd try to put garlic in eggs too. Anyhow, this is my saving grace cure but it takes over night but without it I'd awake in the same perdicament. (In fact nothing moves anywhere for days) 

 

1 phazyme (simithicone sp??) I sometimes top it off with a chewable GAS X

1 milk thistle

and sometimes I throw in an acidofilus for good measure

 

and I'm good to go the next morning

Chhers Lynette in Victoria

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Thanks Michelle for the tip about Coombs (I picked some of the salad dressing up this weekend).  I think the idea of continuing to eat garlic to build up tolerance is ridiculous.  I ate residence food for two years, and just got progressively sicker and sicker, and after that my onion and garlic allergy was much worse than before.  As far as cooking goes, I found that one of the most difficult things to do without for quick cooking is tomato sauce.  I use Italian passata with basil (the ones imported from Italy usually do not have garlic or onions) and then just add any extra spices as needed.  If you are in Canada you can find good passata (surprisingly!) at London Drugs.     
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No-Garlic (or Garlic-Free) Tomato Sauce
for pizzas, pastas, and other tomatoey dishes

 

 

(1) You don't chop the onion. You cut it in half and throw it into the pot.

(2) You don't use olive oil, you use butter.

(3) You don't use garlic.

 

Here is what went into the pot pre-tomatoes:

 

(Half an onion, 2.5 Tbs butter, big pinch salt and maybe some basil or oregano or thyme - depends on the use of the sauce)

Then I added 1 lb of canned tomatoes(crushed, stewed, whole or fresh chopped up - once again depends on the use):

 

I cut them up in the pot with two knives. Then I turned the heat on, got it to a simmer, and simmered for 45 minutes. It was honestly that easy. I ended up with this:

 

What a brilliant sauce! Seriously--who knew using butter instead of olive oil would make such a difference. It had a creamy richness that may make this my signature tomato sauce for tomato sauces future. The lack of chopped onion had no impact on the flavor--meaning, cutting the onion in half and throwing it in is an excellent alternative. I'm not sure how the garlic affected it--all I can say is that the end result was top notch.

And that, my friends, is  No-Garlic (or Garlic-Free) Tomato Sauce . (Oh, and don't forget to add salt when you add the tomatoes.)

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I am also allergic to garlic and face the same challenges of eating out and preparing garlic free food. I have found great recipes for mayonnaise, ketchup, soya sauce which help greatly. I don't trust any food that lists spices or seasonings on the label, as that usually means garlic. I'm learning to love the taste of fresh salad and veggies with a spritz of lemon.  It's a pain sometimes, but I feel I eat the healthiest out of any one else I know.
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Could you please share the great ketchup recipe?
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Hi Sacza,

 

I'm from England too. I've been suffering with what I think is a garlic allergy for about 5 years now. It seems to be getting worse. Just a trace of garlic results in me looking 4 months pregnant for several hours.

 

Tonight I ate a Birds Eye chicken pie and used Bisto turkey gravy. Neither of these listed garlic in the ingredients. One of them must have had garlic in because within around 30 minutes my stomach had swollen really badly and after about an hour and a half I had diarrhoea.

 

I'm also intolerant to wheat, cows' milk and onions. The worse reaction I’ve had is when my friend cooked me spaghetti bolognaise with onions, garlic, with whole wheat pasta and cheese grated on top (she cooked it before I was tested). I had very bad stomach pains and came out in a rash over my legs and chest.

 

When I had a food test the woman suggested that I try a remedy. It involved cutting out the food completely and taking the garlic remedy drops twice a day for a week. It didn't help and all I got from it was a very uncomfortable week.

 

Sometimes I just try to put up with my symptoms but I’m worried about how it might be affecting me long term. I regularly get IBS.

 

I’d like to cook all my food from scratch but sometimes I work quite late and don’t have the energy to spend a lot of time cooking.

 

I often get a funny look if I’m in a restaurant and ask if something I like on the menu contains garlic. Depending on what mood I’m in sometimes I just take my chances.

 

Shopping in the supermarket takes me a long time as I try to read all the labels for what I buy – but it looks like even the items I pick that don’t have garlic listed do actually contain garlic.

 

When I first started getting problems with garlic I’d say to my friends “look I’m pregnant”, almost like it was a party trick. But my symptoms have been getting worse and I’m now very annoyed at how difficult it is to avoid garlic.

 

Bye for now,

Mandy

 

 

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I also got the pregnant bloated look (very painful, causes stretch marks) after eating garlic and dairy. I have both allergies, too, and the combination makes it especially challenging to eat anything pre-packaged or pre-made. When you're reading labels, look out for "natural flavoring." This is most often garlic of one form or another. Because you're allergic to milk, I'm going to list the milk ingredients to look out for too:

 

Milk Ingredients to Avoid

Ammonium/calcium/magnesium/potassium/sodium caseinate
Casein/caseinate/rennet casein
Curds
Delactosed/demineralized whey
Dry milk/milk/sour cream/sour milk solids
Hydrolyzed casein, hydrolyzed milk protein
Lactalbumin/lactalbumin phosphate
Lactate/lactose

 

Possible sources of milk

Artificial butter, butter fat/flavour/oil, ghee, margarine
Baked goods and baking mixes e.g., breads, cakes, doughnuts
Fried foods
Brown sugar, high-protein flour
Buttermilk, cream, dips, salad dressings, sour cream, spreads
Caramel colouring/flavouring
Casein in wax, e.g., fresh fruits and vegetables
Casseroles, frozen prepared foods
Cereals, cookies, crackers
Cheese, cheese curds, cottage/soy cheese
Chocolate
Desserts, e.g., custard, frozen yogurt, ice cream, pudding, sherbet, yogurt
Egg/fat substitutes
Flavoured coffee, coffee whitener
Glazes, nougat
Gravy, sauces
Kefir (milk drink), kumiss (fermented milk drink), malt drink mixes
Meats, e.g., canned tuna, deli/processed meats, hot dogs, pâtés, sausages
Pizza
Potatoes, e.g., instant/mashed/scalloped potatoes, seasoned french fries/potato chips
Seasonings
Snack foods, e.g., candy, fruit bars, granola bars
Soups, soup mixes
Tofu

Non-food sources of milk

Cosmetics
Medications
Pet food

Ingredients that do not contain milk protein

Calcium/sodium lactate
Calcium/sodium stearoyl lactylate
Cocoa butter
Cream of tartar
Oleoresin

 

You're right to wonder about the long-term health effects of continuing to eat foods you are allergic to. I haven't described leaky gut syndrome in previous posts, but this is a good time to bring it up. It's pretty disgusting and debilitating if you allow the condition to continue. Here's an article:

 

http://www.afpafitness.com/articles/altered-immunity-leaky-gut-syndrome/85/

 

In layman's terms (my sister-the-scientist would probably be rolling her eyes at my description here), the walls of the intestine become weakened due to the constant immune response of your body to the allergen. The weakened intestine allows matter from your intestines (very tiny particles, toxins & fluids) to pass into the body cavity. This creates further immune response which causes the bloating. Bloating is a form of inflammation. Inflammation in the body can cause increased fatigue, headaches, poor concentration & irritability, among other things. This condition can take many years to cure, especially if you continue to accidentally ingest the allergen.

 

My ultimate goal in life is to avoid my food allergens completely and AT ANY COST (I don't care how rude I have to be!!), and to keep from getting sick ever again. This said, I still get sick by accidental ingestions about once every 6 weeks. Because of this, I tend to eat the same foods over and over again. Knowing my diet lacks a certain amount of diversity and spontaneity, I've worked very hard to create a balanced diet. I have about 7 different dinner recipes that I consume on a regular basis. I make more than I need for dinner so I can have leftovers for lunch the next day. I consume a lot of raw vegetables, chicken, and beans. I recently stopped eating out completely, with the exception of sushi about 4x a year.

 

Changing your diet like this is a huge committment, but one that I encourage you to take up. You will eat better than anybody you know and you will feel so much healthier. You may not notice changes at first; give it about 3 months. You will start to feel less tired, less bloated, and have fewer aches and pains.

 

Cooking everything from scratch is inconvenient, especially when it's late and you're tired. I would suggest creating a few easy, quick recipes you can rely on. My quick and easy dinner is a burrito and consists of: wheat tortilla rolled up with scrambled eggs, 1/4 c. kidney beans (from can, rinsed), 1 oz. soy cheese, 1/4 c. diced tomatoes (from can, drained), 1 tablespoon soy sour cream, and tabasco sauce. I can throw this together in less than 10 minutes. Another dinner that you can make on the weekend and eat off all week uses a slow cooker. I make this on Sunday when I'm at home all day:

 

2 chicken breasts (okay if frozen)

2 cans black beans (do not rinse)

2 cans tomato sauce (take care to find a brand that does not have natural flavoring)

1 can jalapeno peppers, diced

1 can whole corn, drained

1 tablespoon cumin

Salt & pepper

Mix of grains: rice, quinoa, couscous, etc. (approx. 1 1/2 cup)

 

Spray the slow cooker pot with non-stick cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts at the bottom of the pot and top with all the canned ingredients, cumin and salt & pepper. Slow cook on high setting for approx. 4 hours. After 4 hours, shred the chicken in the pot and add the grain mix (I use Trader Joe's Quinoa Blend - can't remember exact name of product) and cook for about 10-20 minutes longer (add water if mixture is too dry for grains to properly cook; cook longer if rice is not done). Serve with tabasco sauce and soy sour cream.

 

While this recipe takes 4 1/2 hours in the cooker, it only takes about 5 minutes of prep. I can eat off this all week long.

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Hi Laurie,

 

Thank you for the list of milk ingredients. The woman who did my food allergy test suggested using hazelnut milk or soya milk as an alternative. I think the first sounds more appealing.

 

 

The information about leaky gut syndrome is very worrying. I’ve been thinking about seeing a GP but I’m not sure they are specialised enough so have decided to see a nationalist. She is going to give me an allergy test and a full MOT. I’m not sure what a full MOT will entail and I thought that it would be good to have a second allergy test as it will give me more confidence in knowing what I am allergic too if it has been confirmed by two different people. Plus I wasn’t tested for a garlic allergy the first time as they don’t normally test for it.

 

I spoke to someone today that said allergies could change over time and you could just stop being allergic to it. I wander if this has happened for anyone you know?

 

I feel like I’m in a spiral. Because I’m not avoiding my allergies I feel unmotivated and bored with my life and because of that I carry on eating convenience food. I know that I do feel better when I cut out the food that’s bad for me because I’ve done it before. I’ve heard different things from different people. Some people, including the woman that did my allergy test, said that I shouldn’t try to cut the food out completely as accidental introduction of it again could cause more sever reactions.

 

 

I’m going on a ski trip to France in March. I was worried yesterday as I had visions of going to restaurants every night and trying to ask for no garlic – in France! I checked today and we have a chalet maid cooking for us. I had the same setup last year and she was very helpful and made sure that she cooked something separate for me or added the garlic after she served my dish.

 

 

It would be really good if there were handheld testers that you could put into food to detect garlic. It’s really difficult to know if you’re eating something with garlic in if it takes half an hour for the symptoms to appear – then it’s too late. I went to Florida on holiday a couple of months ago and most places were quite good about making sure there wasn’t any garlic in my meal – sometimes the chef would come and speak to me too. I was annoyed though when walking past someone handing out chicken samples. I asked if it contained garlic and she said no. I stupidly put the whole thing in my mouth and could taste the garlic straight away. I spat it out really quickly and I will not be making that mistake again. I was so angry inside because I couldn’t believe that she lied to me – it was so obvious that it had garlic in – it had just as much garlic as garlic bread. And sure enough after half an hour my stomach swelled up – even though I spat it out.

 

 

The annoying thing is that I used to really like garlic when I was younger and don’t understand why I’m allergic to it now when I wasn’t before.

 

 

I’m going to try really hard to commit to cutting out my allergies. I will defiantly be avoiding garlic and after next Wednesday I should have a more conclusive list of anything else I’m allergic to.

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Having to avoid certain foods really requires a change in the way you think about food and eating. It would be nice to sample handouts in stores, but I can't. It would be nice to eat convenience foods, but I can't. It would be nice to have a piece of banana-cream pie like everybody else at the party, but I can't. It's just not fair!!!! But get beyond feeling sorry for yourself so you can focus on being healthy. That is much more valuable than whatever small pleasure you will get from sampling a tasty morsel or enjoying dessert with friends. 

 

It's hard because we've been conditioned to turn to food for so many reasons other than nutrition - emotions, feeling good about yourself, celebrations, rewards, etc. You have to learn to eat only when you're hungry and your body needs it. Try to get used to this idea, turn it over and over in your mind until you can accept it: food is just fuel for the body, nothing more. It's a very hard thing to accept and I don't want to come off like it's easy. But seriously, if the only thing I can eat in a restaurant if I want to avoid getting sick is some steamed veggies and a dry piece of grilled chicken, I guess that's my dinner. I wish I could have the cheesy piece of lasagna that everybody else gets to enjoy, but it's just food after all.

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Hello Everyone

Look what I found: 

http://www.recipezaar.com/cookbook.php?bookid=51115&ls=o

 

As a cullinary challenged person I think even I can make most of these, and they sound yummy. There is hope for us yet!!

(some have dairy and are non-veg but, there are enough to choose a few favourites from)

Vel

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Most meats are marinated or rubbed with something involving garlic. I'm a vegetarian but my mother is also allergic to garlic and she has just as hard a time finding foods that aren't pre-prepared with garlic. Eating animals is not the answer.

I will add my post to this as it contains a little tip--hope it helps! Good luck!

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oops...here it is:

I am so relieved to find this site. Just thinking about garlic makes my tongue feel black. I have googled "garlic allergy" a bunch of times but all I get is sites telling me the health benefits of garlic--so frustrating!!
It started with me when I hit my 30's which is right about the age it happened to my mother, too. For years I dealt with my mom going to restaurants and having to go through the whole thing and of course they always assume it's just a preference, not an allergy. In fact, once in a while, the waiter would go "talk to the chef" and come back and say "so can you tell me your symptoms, ma'am..." as if to say, unless this is life or death we're not really concerned.
Now going out to dinner is so wrapped up in anxiety I'd rather just stay home which is sad because my whole family has always loved dining out together as a way to bond and treat ourselves at the same time.
Okay, so that's enough venting...now for my little tip:
CARRY LACTAID WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.
I hope it works for you, it seems to have helped relieve symptoms for me and my mother in an emergency.
There is no medical evidence for this but maybe someone out there may be able to shed some light.
I realized one day that my symptoms were very similar to what I hear about lactose intolerance. I figured if it was a digestive problem then maybe whatever is in lactaid would help aid in digestion for things other than dairy products. I also did find out in some research that garlic is toxic and certain people are very tolerant of the toxins to the point where garlic can be used to kill bad things that cause illness. However, for those of us who are intolerant of garlic's toxins, it tried to kill us and in a very miserable way: through our intestines!!!
So, it may not be a cure but I find that lactaid helps.
Would love to know if it works for you too so please post!

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Frozen ground turkey has natural flavorings ground into it, which is garlic. Do I have to kill my own turkey now if I want turkey meat?
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Mee too, this works over night for me

 

1 phazyme (simithicone) sold in stomach aids- Somtimes I top it off with a chewable GAS X, but I hate the dry mouth which I already get with garlic

1 milk thistle

also sometimes 1 acidophilus

 

Quite the cocktail but by the next morning good to go

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I just found out my 2-year old son is allergic to garlic. I understand some alergies in children can go away. Do you know if this is one of them? Right now it seems his symptoms are limited to skin reactions, but I'd appreciate suggestions for symptoms to look for at this age. As you mentioned with limited verbal communication I'm finding this a challenge. He's also allergic to eggs, but I'm not finding that as challenging.

I'd love any tips you have for dealing with this in a young child. I'm particularly concerned about how to handle daycare. He always wants to eat whatever everyone else is eating. I tried bringing in food for him and was told he really wouldn't eat much. I'm planning on trying to make foods that will be similar to what the other kids are eating, but would appreciate any suggestions.

 

Thanks

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It's been awhile since I looked at this site.  My understanding is that any of the allergies can be outgrown.  Eggs is a very common one to outgrow, but there is not much data on garlic.  My daughter also has the egg allergy and I agree it is much easier to deal with and people/restaurants are able to deal with it much better than garlic.  We have seen skin/hives reactions with my daughter and one instance where her eye swelled up.  For ketchup we have gone with the Annie's Naturals which we buy at Whole Foods Market, I've also seen it online at amazon.com for anyone that doesn't have Whole Foods in their area.  It is hard to make foods that are similar to what other children are having.  Then you start to find most children birthday parties have pizza which is always a challenge with garlic.  My daughter does not mind eating pizza without sauce so we can order papajohns or dominos with no sauce and it is safe, otherwise it is make your own.  Many local pizza places have garlic even in the crust and some egg (pizza hut is a no for this reason). 

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I believe it should be possible for children to outgrow their food allergies, but I'm not so sure about adults. I'm hoping I can outgrow this allergy. I only just developed it when I was 25 and I've had it for 9 years. I now firmly believe that I developed the allergy after my digestive system was compromised by several different parasitic diseases: giardia, amoebic dysentery and blastocytosis. Following my illnesses, I took heavy-duty antibiotics and this is what, I believe, weakened my intestines. The intestines are a part of your immune system, so being weakened I became more susceptible to food allergies. I believe my intestines are now fully healed, but I am still sensitive and/or allergic to these foods. I would like to get the RAST test again to make sure, but the test is somewhere around $500. I don't think I'm allergic to citrus anymore, but I know if I get garlic or dairy, I get pretty sick.

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