Gluten-Free Soy, Yeast & Dairy Products

Whether it's because of allergies or general health concerns, many people seek to restrict the products included in their own and their children's daily diet. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, more than 3 percent of adults in the U.S. have one or more food allergies. Among those aged below 18, food allergies increased by 18 percent between 1997 and 2007. Obesity has also been dramatically increasing in the U.S. over the past two decades, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gluten-free

• Products containing gluten include all flour or cereal-based foodstuffs, malt vinegar, soy sauce, dextrin, caramel color and brown rice syrup. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 1 in every 133 people in the U.S. is affected by celiac disease. Gluten is harmful to people suffering from celiac disease as it causes an immunologically toxic reaction that damages the surface of the small intestine. Sources of grains and starch for gluten-free diets include rice, corn, potatoes, tapioca, quinoa, buckwheat and sorghum.

Dairy

• Dairy products are those derived from cow's milk. They include milk, cheese, yogurt and fromage frais. Milk derivatives may be present in items such as chocolate, potato chips, ice cream, salad dressing and processed meats. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, an allergy to milk is the most common allergy in childhood, and affects 2.5 percent of children under the age of 3. However, by the age of 16, about 80 percent are no longer allergic.

Soy

• The soybean is an edible species of legume used as a low-cost source of protein. Soy-based products include miso and soya sauce, tofu, tempeh and textured vegetable protein. According to the Allergic Child website, almost 60 percent of processed foods include soy in their ingredient list. Soy is one of the most common foods to cause allergic reactions, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Yeast

• Products that contain yeast include bagels, croissants, cider, bread rolls, beer, grapes, pretzels, wine and anything containing monosodium glutamate or hydrolysed protein. Some people suffer from an allergic reaction after eating yeast-containing products. The symptoms are sometimes confused with those displayed by people suffering from a yeast infection called candidiasis. According to the Allergy UK website, products that are usually free from yeast include soda bread, pitta bread, crisp bread, naan bread, crackers and rice cakes.