Wheat is widely grown in many countries. It grows very well in a temperate climate and produces good yield per unit area planted. Wheat is a cereal crop or grain that has been cultivated for their grains and fruit seeds. The common usage of wheat is to use as an ingredient for bread, pasta, pastries and also as part of the component of some beverages. Wheat constitutes a large percentage of raw materials used in our daily diets.

Wheat allergy is one form of food allergy. It is also known as wheat hypersensitivity where there is an allergic reaction to food containing protein called gluten which usually can be found in wheat, barley and oats. This type of food allergy can stimulate allergic reaction as mild as rashes and as severe as anaphylactic shock.

There are actually a variety of allergenic components and elements in wheat that lead to hypersensitivity reactions, thus the generalize term of wheat allergy may be of little misnomer. Globulin, glutelin, prolamin and albumin are the four primary groups of protein which are responsible for allergic reactions to wheat as well as wheat allergy symptoms. Consumption of wheat products can induce potential allergic outbreaks in individuals who are hypersensitive to cereal. The inhale of wheat flour can pose the risk of causing allergic reactions as well.

Certain wheat products are very easy to identify because of their distinguishable grain, texture and smell, but they could also be very hard to distinguish as wheat products are used as the ingredient of so many foods. It will be difficult to avoid all the foods that contain wheat compounds totally, and a small amount of wheat substances are enough to trigger an allergic reaction in individuals sensitive to it.

Wheat Allergy Symptoms

The common signs and symptoms of wheat allergy include hives, swelling, eczema, hay fever, asthma, abdominal cramps. These are the common allergies symptoms which will also appear in most of other kinds of allergies besides wheat allergy.

Some of the rare and severe symptoms of wheat allergy are arthritis, anaphylactic shock, chest pains, palpitations and irritable bowel syndrome. Immediate attention and action should be taken if you aware yourself having any of these symptoms.

Although wheat allergy is not really a dangerous disease and condition and there are only few cases of people dying from this allergy in very rare circumstances. It is important for us to be aware of our allergies condition and to try to avoid foods that contain wheat substances as much as possible. With this in mind, we can save ourselves from any potential life threatening allergic reactions from taking place.

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