Chocolate is a favorite treat by many children and even adults. This common treat often contains various components where some can be beneficial but many can instigate a negative reaction or intolerance.
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When it comes to food intolerance along with allergies, they are common in children and can be misdiagnosed as other health conditions. If the individual notices the symptoms of the child after eating chocolate or other foods, a doctor should be consulted regarding the possible causes and management.
Close look on food intolerance
Intolerance to certain foods is quite common among children and relatively common up to adulthood. Always bear in mind that food intolerance is also similar to food allergies with difference often on the degree of symptoms.
Intolerance often generates relatively minor symptoms than the allergic reactions. As a result, foot intolerance is considered hard to diagnose since it is strikingly similar to other conditions such as mild infections, indigestion and fatigue. Diagnosing intolerance is further complicated by the fact that children have difficulty with describing the symptoms and communicating the discomfort they feel.
Chocolate issues
Chocolate intolerance is quite common among children since various products often include several ingredients that can trigger digestive issues and low-grade allergic reactions.
The usual ingredients in chocolate products include sugar, cocoa, gluten, milk, food coloring, nuts, caffeine and other additives. As an outcome, it might not be cocoa in chocolate that is responsible for the issue, but toxins or fungi linked with nuts or intolerance to dairy products. In addition, it is also possible that the child is intolerant to more than just one ingredient. High-fructose corn syrup and caffeine are also known to generate symptoms among children.
Indications of food intolerance
Always bear in mind that the symptoms of chocolate intolerance can range from mild to severe depending on the ingredients involved.
- Skin rashes
- Flatulence
- Nausea
- Stomach upset
- Fatigue
- Coughing
- Headache
- Runny nose
- Hives
- Dizziness
- Respiratory distress
- Burning sensation in the throat
- Swollen mouth and face
- Behavioral issues
- Anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
In case a child appears confused or disoriented or has difficulty breathing, it is vital to seek immediate medical attention.
How to manage chocolate intolerance
It is vital to determine which component in the food is responsible for causing the child distress that can be accomplished by allergy testing. In case nuts are the issue, it is best to opt for chocolate that is nut-free and not processed along with products that contain nuts.
In case dairy is the issue, opt for dark chocolate that has a high percentage of cocoa. If cocoa is the issue, the individual must consider other sweet treats that are made out of stevia, honey or other natural sweeteners. Generally, the darker the chocolate, the more cocoa powder it contains.