What Food Allergies Cause Under Eye Circles?

A variety of conditions can cause dark circles or puffiness under your eyes 2. Genetics, nasal congestion, environmental allergies, eczema, lack of sleep, alcohol abuse, poor hydration and nutritional deficiencies can all contribute to the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, according to MayoClinic.com 23. For some people, dark circles may occur as part of an allergic or hypersensitive response to particular foods. The darkness occurs because the skin under the eyes becomes inflamed. Touching or rubbing the irritated skin makes the circles worse. While over 140 foods cause allergic responses, about 90 percent of food allergies are caused by just a few types of food, according to the World’s Healthiest Foods website 4.

Dairy

Dairy allergies are fairly common. In addition to dark eye circles, other symptoms may include:

• indigestion
  
• nausea
  
• cramps
  
• diarrhea
  
• rashes
  
• hives
  
• congestion
  
• tightness in the chest
  
• asthma attacks

Some people develop these adverse responses because they are allergic to the casein or whey proteins that are found in milk. A closely related condition, lactose intolerance, occurs in people who lack the lactase enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. Lactose intolerance causes indigestion but it does not involve the immune system and doesn’t directly cause dark circles under the eyes 2.

Tyramine Sensitivity

Allergies That Cause Itching

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Certain foods contain an amino acid called tyramine that triggers an inflammatory response from the immune system in sensitive persons. Foods that contain tyramine include:

• sausage
  
• chocolate
  
• sour cream
  
• red wine
  
• avocado
  
• beer
  
• raspberries
  
• yeast
  
• pickled herring
  
• reports the World’s Healthiest Foods website 4

Wheat

Gluten is a substance found in wheat, wheat flour, wheat products, barley and rye. Primarily comprised of protein, gluten triggers an immune system response in sensitive people. Gluten sensitivity does not qualify as a true allergic response because the body does not necessarily produce specific antibodies in response to the gluten. Nonetheless, the reactions to gluten can be systemic, causing inflammation of skin, as well as other symptoms. Read ingredient labels carefully because many processed foods contain gluten or wheat products.

Preservatives and Additives

Can Food Allergies Cause Dry Skin and Hair Loss?

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Preservatives and additives such as sodium benzoate, butylated hydroxytoluene salicylates and dyes can cause hives or other intolerance reactions in sensitive persons, reports the World’s Healthiest Foods website 4. Avoid processed foods and read ingredient labels when you do choose to eat food from a box.

Further Allergens and What to Do

Hen’s eggs; citrus fruits; soy and soy products; peanuts;, shell fish such as:

• almonds pecans
  
• cashews
  
• walnuts
  
• Brazil nuts
  
• pistachios
  
• chestnuts
  
• hazelnuts
  
• all can trigger inflammation in sensitive individuals