Which Foods Cause Eczema - Foods to Avoid with Eczema

Eczema, commonly known as a form of dermatitis, is a skin disorder that affects the epidermis layer of the skin. Some of the notable symptoms of eczema include skin reddening, inflammation, irritation, crusting, blistering, crusting, cracking and bleeding. Based on the manifested signs and symptoms, there are several types of eczema, out of which atopic eczema is the most common. As per statistic records, about 10-25 percent of Americans suffer from atopic eczema at some stages.

The exact cause of eczema is not known. However, it is believed that hereditary factors and over sensitivity of the immune system are responsible for causing the condition. Though eczema is caused due to many factors, recent researches have revealed that food allergies often exacerbate the symptoms of eczema. Giving importance to this aspect, let's discuss in brief about which foods cause eczema, foods to avoid with eczema or in other terms, eczema diet.

Eczema Diet

There is no exact eczema diet as such; diet for eczema may vary depending upon the sensitivity of the individual towards certain foods. For example, dairy products may trigger eczema in some persons, while they are safe for other people. Thus, eczema diets vary from one person to another. For planning eczema diet, the first important step is to identify the type of foods that worsen eczema.

Which Foods Cause Eczema

As per the responses towards different food items, some foods are believed to trigger eczema condition in some individuals. The most common causes are casein (present in milk) and gluten (present in wheat). Following are some of the food items that trigger eczema condition:

• Milk and dairy products like curd, yogurt and even chocolate that contains cow's milk
• Wheat based products and cereals like bread, bagels, crackers, donuts, pancakes, barley, oats and rye etc.
• Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts and pistachios
• Seafood like shellfish, salmon, tuna, lobster, mussels, calms, crabs etc.
• Acidic fruits like orange, lemon, strawberries, plumps, blueberries and prunes
• Other foods items that worsen eczema are tomatoes, eggs and soy products
• Food colorings and food additives such as tartrazine, sodium benzoate and glutamate

Determine Foods to Avoid with Eczema

In order to determine the foods to avoid with eczema, you can follow an elimination diet plan. Under such programs, you can exclude the suspected foods that you think worsen eczema symptoms. Plan and follow the elimination diet for a few weeks. You can recall the foods consumed prior to the onset of eczema symptoms. In case, eczema condition improves during this period, then you can conclude that the suspected foods are not safe for you.

For the confirmation about the foods to avoid with eczema, you can reintroduce these foods to check for recurrent occurrence of the eczema symptoms. On the contrary, if the condition remains the same (no exacerbation) even after including the suspected foods, then they are safe to eat.

Drinking lots of water and healthy fruit juices along with correct eczema diet will help in combating eczema. Adequate water and fluid intake keep the skin hydrated, thereby minimizing the symptoms of eczema. In any of the cases, the basic cause of eczema is weak functioning of the immune system. Hence, the most effective way to minimize the risk of developing eczema is promoting the immune system.